In his exclusive column, the National Hunt jockey and Betway ambassador discusses his weekend rides at both Newbury and Leicester
It was nice to ride a double on the opening day of Newbury’s Hennessy meeting yesterday where the ground rode soft.
It was raining as I arrived at the track this morning so I’m pretty sure it will be nearer heavy tomorrow.
Friday
The best of my rides this afternoon is without doubt Wait For Me who makes his debut in the maiden hurdle (15:45).
He was third in last season’s Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and is unquestionably a very talented horse.
This will be the softest ground he has ever encountered, but he is a strong type and I’m confident that he’ll handle it.
It was soft ground when he won impressively on debut at Ascot and we’ve never made any secret about the high regard in which we hold the horse.
I suppose we’ll know more later this afternoon as to whether he really is a genuine Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hope.
I ride Ten Sixty in the novices’ hurdle (15:15). He’s a nice type and could hit the frame.
The ground might be a slight concern, but you’ve got to be hopeful he’ll handle it as he coped with the ground at Ffos Lason his debut.
Saturday
I kick off Hennessy Gold Cup day with Abracadabra Sivola in the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase (13:15).
He has a genuine each-way chance in a fiercely competitive 17-runner two-mile chase.
He likes it soft, he stays well and there’s definitely room for improvement with him.
He was second at Exeter last time behind Colin Tizzard’s Native River who won impressively yesterday.
Admittedly, he was beaten a long way, but he must have a chance tomorrow.
I was sad to see Coneygree ruled out of the Hennessy Gold Cup (15:00) earlier this week. It would have been a real spectacle watching him try to defy top weight in such a competitive contest.
That said, I have to admit that a little part of me was pleased to learn that he was to miss the race as it meant I didn’t have to do 10-stone on Fingal Bay.
It wasn’t just vegetables for dinner last night and that made sure that I wasn’t too grouchy with the family!
As for Fingal Bay, I’m confident he’ll run a big race. Last year was a complete write-off after he burst a blood vessel in this race.
We’ve given him time and he made a really pleasing reappearance at Kempton behind Smad Place.
He was upside the winner until late on that day and I’m sure there won’t be much between the two of them tomorrow.
I made no secret earlier on in the week about the fact that I think Bobs Worth is the one to beat.
He’s a previous winner of this race, not to mention the Cheltenham Gold Cup and looks potentially thrown in.
Yes, the ground looks to be going against him, but these horses can learn to cope with bad ground as they get older.
Finally, I ride Mountain King in the two-mile handicap chase (15:35).
There is potentially a lot more to come from this fellow but I have to admit I have my concerns about him handling very testing conditions.
Sunday
The pick of my rides on Sunday is undoubtedly Onefitzall in the novices’ hurdle at Leicester.
We were potentially going to run him at Newbury tomorrow but have opted to give him one more race at a lower level before throwing him in at the deep end.
READ: Richard Johnson: Hennessy hope Bobs Worth looks thrown in
