Jim Crowley: There’s plenty of interest in Baaeed’s half-brother
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Jockey and Coral ambassador Jim Crowley discusses the chances of his three rides at Leicester on Saturday.
After an unscheduled day off on Friday, we’ll be keeping an eye on the Leicester going. It’s already being called heavy, so any further rain would be an issue and my first planned ride of the day isn’t certain to line up in these conditions.
There’s plenty of interest in Naqeeb as he’s a half-brother to the brilliant Baaeed, as well as Hukum. Like his famous sibling, he didn’t run as a two-year-old, I think he was just a bit backward and took time to mature, but as we saw with Baaeed, that doesn’t stop them becoming top class.
I think he’d handle cut in the ground, but heavy first time up might not be the right ground to start him off in, so there has to be a doubt about him running, but he’s showing plenty at home to give us hope that he’s a nice horse and we are excited about getting him started, either here or elsewhere in the near future.
"The perfect racehorse" – @JimCrowley1978 via @itvracing
BAAEED (GB) outclasses the field in Gr.1 @JuddmonteFarms International Stakes @yorkracecourse on 1m2f to make it 10 wins out of 10! 🤩pic.twitter.com/aNGnjJBcBY
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) August 17, 2022
My agent has booked me two outside rides here today as well. I’ve ridden a few winners for Conrad Allen over the years and I’m on Hello Arthur here for the trainer. He’s having his first run in a handicap, the seven-furlong trip should suit, but it’s his first run on turf so we don’t know how he’ll act on this going.
Zoffany Portrait ran well on heavy going at Doncaster last time out, so he shouldn’t mind this ground at all. That run was an improvement on previous efforts, so hopefully there’s more progression to come here.
Jim
