Doncaster, Friday 03rd March
I am at Doncaster today and I think Ballygeary (1:25pm) would be the better of my two rides on Friday. He ran well in his bumper, won well at Catterick, and the drop back in trip to two miles won’t be a problem here. He travels quite well and he did enough to win last time. The favourite for this race, Circus Act, also won nicely last time out at Hereford but it was a fairly mediocre event. Yes, Ballygeary is carrying a lot more weight than her, but let’s remember he’s a six-year-old gelding taking on a four-year-old filly. He’s a big, strong lad and can shoulder the weight. I always feel you can give away weight with the right animal.
I won a bumper with Lyrical Genius (2:00pm) for Charlie Longsdon back in 2021 at Warwick, and he’s been running okay lately with two fourths and a second this season. I think he’s steadily progressing and he did run well at Doncaster two starts ago. But we’ve got the likes of Taste The Fear – who’s a Doncaster winner – and My Bad Lucy, another Doncaster winner, to contend with. This horse jumps and stays and I think he’s a fair price in the betting for what he’s done so far. He’s a nice horse who’s been going well, so I hope he’s got every chance.
Doncaster, Saturday 04th March
My first ride at Doncaster today is Champagne Town (1:00pm), funnily enough, was bred by Donald [McCain] and Richard Kent but I’ve never ridden him before! He’s won a Point-to-Point in Ireland, and Kevin Frost is a smart trainer so I hope he’ll have a chance. It’s a four-runner race, and there’s a Nicky Henderson horse in there with nice form, but I know mine be fit enough because Kevin is a shrewd trainer. He could have every chance.
Mackenberg (1:30pm) is well at home and he’s won at the track before, so he goes into his race with every chance. It’s not easy to find races for a horse like him, rated over 140, in the north of England, and maybe his last run at Warwick came a bit soon after he ran at Doncaster. This should be better for him.
Minella Plus (2:05pm) has won three hurdles and two chases, and I’d say the handicapper has given him a chance in this race. He’s now down to a mark of 115 which he should go nicely on.
Aubis Walk (2:40pm) won well last time out at Sedgefield, and we feel she’d just been a bit unlucky not to win prior to that run. She’d fallen at Ayr in January and was second by just a neck at Kelso the time before that. That win – which was by 23 lengths – I think proves that she can step up to Black Type races now and this Listed contest looks a good choice for her – she’s 100 percent up to being competitive at this level.
In the Grimthorpe I’m riding Castle Robin (3:15pm), who Paul O’Brien had a good spin on last time for a win at Sandown. He stays well and he should have every chance, especially as the ground at Kelso, which would normally be much more testing at this time of year, is good. It won’t be such a slog as this race sometimes can be.
Lastly, I’m on Malpas (4:25pm) who I won on three times last season. He’s in decent form and has run for a couple of places this season, and, as he steps up in trip here, he might improve for the distance and go one better. The better ground certainly won’t be an issue for him either. He should have a good chance.
Adapting to the new Whip Rules
It’s all about adapting. At the end of the day, they are the rules that have been set, and we have to try and work with them and talk to the BHA to make it fair for jockeys, they have been listening to us. Some jockeys will have to adapt their style to fit the new rules, and some will find it a harder adjustment than others. We’re all trying our best, and that’s all we can do.
