I’M riding at the Rowley Mile in Newmarket on Saturday and it has become a course people have started to form quite strong opinions about in recent seasons in terms of where you want to be on the course and what biases there are.
From my point of view when I’ve been riding there I’ve always believed it to be a fairly fair track. They race on both rails and down the middle and there doesn’t seem to be much of an advantage, while horses races on the speed and come from behind to win there too.
The most important aspect of riding the course is keeping your horse balanced as they go through the Dip, especially on inexperienced horses. When you get to the bushes, which is about two furlongs from the finish, you need to start getting your horse rolling into the Dip and ride your race from there.
I don’t see any massive bias particularly and I think the Cambridgeshire will be an ultra-competitive race as ever. Before that there are two quality Group 1 in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes and Connolly’s Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes and I think the two market leaders will be very tough to beat.
I thought Middle Park favourite Blue Point was very impressive the last day and showed a really smart turn of foot to put the race to bed at York. I think he looks a star in the making and it will take massive improvement from one of his rivals to beat him.
I’m not sure the track at Newmarket will suit Cheveley Park favourite Lady Aurelia as well as the flatter courses at Ascot and Deauville have. It’ll be an interesting match up with Queen Kindly but I think she’s the classier of the pair and will be the one to come home in front.
4.10 Newmarket – Celestial Path I’m drawn in stall 32 between GM Hopkins and Educate so I have good horses around me and I always think the best draw ultimately is where the pace is. By the looks of it there is pace everywhere and the race is weaker for Firmament, Sacred Act and Eddystone Rock not running so that’s a positive for our chances. I think the course suits him perfectly and as it’s wide and open he should have space to run in, which he likes. He’s also run very well in the 2,000 Guineas at the course. The forecast is in his favour as he wants quick ground and he’s had loose ground on so many of his races this year which is not what he wants. If things go his way he is more than capable of winning this as he has a lot of class.
4.45 Newmarket – Harmonise She’s run well in her maidens and has a nice racing weight for this contest. She takes on some progressive types but she’s not without a chance at all. I have happy memories of riding for these owners as I won the Prix de l’Abbaye on Gilt Edge Girl for them and this is the first time I’ve ridden for them since. I hope she has an each-way chance.
5.20 Newmarket – Barracuda Boy The handicapper knows everything about him and he’s an exposed horse. At the same time he’s more than capable of being involved if he’s on a going day. A straight seven furlongs run at a good gallop will suit him down to the ground.
