Jim Crowley: ‘The real Battaash should be hard to catch.’

I went to ride Mostahdaf in a piece of work ahead of his run in the Heron Stakes at Sandown last month, he gave me a lovely feel that day, and lived up to that when winning that race. It’s a race the Gosdens have used before to prep one for the St James’s Palace Stake, and having missed the Guineas to wait for this instead, his profile is not dissimilar to their winner in this race last year, Palace Pier.

We were receiving three pounds from Highland Avenue at Sandown, and he takes us on again here, but I would expect my fellow to take a big step forward from that run, he stays the mile well, and we’ve got a lovely draw in stall one, so we should get a nice trip round.

The 2000 Guineas winner, Poetic Flare, leads the market and rightly so, but he may have had some hard races, whereas we’re still unexposed and come here fresh, and I’m expecting a big run from him.

Jim rides Dawaam in the 17:35 at Ascot

My Wolferton mount, Dawaam, is a nice horse who I like a lot, but I have to say all his best form has been on the all-weather, and when I’ve ridden him work on the all-weather he’s always worked like a champion.

I’m not saying he won’t go well on turf, as maybe things just haven’t worked out for him so far, and he’s a strong traveller, so if he settles, which you need for this stiff, uphill finish, he could go well at a decent price.

Jim rides Arthurian Fable at 18:10 at Ascot

I’ve ridden Arthurian Fable before, and he’s a winner over this trip on quick ground, while another plus here is the draw, from stall one, which should mean I can get a nice position early on.

This is one of the new races added to the meeting, and while it looks a highly competitive contest, I would hope my fellow is not without an each-way chance.

Jim

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