Jim Crowley weekend rides blog: 'If he is as good as we think he is, he should be winning this race'

This will be the first time I’ve ridden this horse. He prevailed at Nottingham and then was only narrowly beaten at Ascot. Last time out he didn’t disgrace himself at Goodwood, but he did encounter a tricky trip. He’s got a really nice draw, and he handles soft ground well, so hopefully he’ll run a big race. He’s got every chance.

Strong Warrior has been in great form in his first two starts of the season. He’s been running in graded company, but he drops back into handicaps now. He remains open to improvement so I think he should run very well. 

Daiquiri Bay is a really nice horse. He ran well at Doncaster and was third in the Melrose Stakes last time, which is always a very competitive race. He’s well drawn in three and loves soft ground. It’s a strong race, but he should give a very good performance.

Miss Tonnerre hasn’t been at her best in recent starts, but that’s likely because the ground hasn’t suited her. She’s well regarded, and she loves soft ground. She ran nicely at York previously, so in this handicap at a rating of 94, she is capable of running a big race.

Orazio is a course-and-distance winner at Ascot, but he’s lost his way over the last few runs. Still, he remains competitive against similar rivals and could sneak into a place if he puts his best foot forward again.

Brooklyn Nine Nine is an experienced sprinter who last won at Hamilton two starts ago. He’s now on a rating of 88, which is about as low as he can go. He should handle soft ground, as he coped well with similar conditions at Hamilton. Hopefully, he can run a decent race after a disappointing effort at Yarmouth.

Connections opted against the Sprint Cup at Haydock for Almeraq. That was a shame as he would have had a great chance in that race. I am excited to get back on board here at York. If he is as good as we think he is, he should be winning this race.

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