In his exclusive column, the National Hunt jockey and Betway ambassador previews his weekend rides at both Aintree and Huntingdon
I’m heading to Aintree tomorrow where I kick-off with Jer’s Girl for Gavin Cromwell in the Listed fillies juvenile hurdle (12:00).
She’s coming over from Ireland having won pretty impressively on her hurdling debut at Limerick at the beginning of last month and looks a smart recruit.
It’s also a positive that she’s proven she handles both the ground and stays two miles, so I’m hopeful of a bold show.
Braavos takes on just five other runners in the novices’ hurdle (13:05) and can’t be ruled out if recapturing the best of his bumper form.
He really disappointed me at Southwell last time on his hurdling debut, but that said, he’ll have learnt plenty from the experience.
He was never comfortable that day and didn’t seem to handle the conditions so once again very soft ground would be a worry.
Whilst on the subject of bad ground, the conditions are certainly not what we’ve been looking for with Menorah who is set to take his chance Listed chase (14:15).
He may only face three rivals but they include last year’s Grand National winner Many Clouds and RSA Chase winner Don Poli.
We’ve been desperate to get a run into Menorah and that’s the problem when you’ve got a good ground horse at this time of year.
He’s been such a grand old servant and we’d be hopeful that he can handle what certainly won’t be his ideal conditions.
He also has to give Don Poli 5lb if things weren’t going to be tough enough already!
My final ride of the day is Handiwork for Steve Gollings in the handicap hurdle (14:45).
I rode him on his first try at this two-and-a-half mile trip at Market Rasen last month and he shaped with real promise.
He’s got plenty of soft ground form which gives me optimism, but I’ve just got a sneaky feeling he may be in the handicapper’s grip.
The pick of my Sunday rides is definitely Wishfull Thinking in the Peterborough Chase (14:00) at Huntingdon.
He’s a truly remarkable horse considering that he’s nearly as old as me, but still loves the game.
He ran another cracker in the Old Roan Chase last time when only just failing to get to Sound Investment and we know he goes well around here having won this race 12 months ago.
He has given Philip and myself some magical days over the last decade and here’s hoping for another one.
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