The Betway ambassador looks ahead to the Clarence House as well as the rest of this weekend's racing...
I’d like to start the blog by mentioning the sad news from the Hobbs yard that Philip’s father, Tony, passed away this week.
He was always around at the yard and was a very good horseman.
He loved his hunting and his racing and, above all else, was a real gentleman.
On the racing front, it’s been another busy week.
Thankfully I’ve been rewarded with my two long hauls to Scotland. It doesn’t matter how many miles you cover if you come back with a winner.
It’s also good to see that racing attendances are up again. Racecourses have put in a lot of effort to attract different audiences and they should be congratulated.
Ascot on Saturday
I hope to be at Ascot on Saturday, although there’s a chance it could be called off following an early morning inspection, with temperatures set to get pretty low.
If it’s off I may end up going to Taunton or Haydock.
Hopefully it goes ahead as I’m looking forward to riding Royal Regatta ({ODDS:131956111:20/1}) in the big race, the Grade One Clarence House Chase (3.00pm).
Although he’s stepping up in class, he clearly loves Ascot, which has to be a positive.
Obviously, he’ll need to improve to trouble Un De Sceaux and Ar Mad, but everything should suit him perfectly.
He’s one of two that Philip Hobbs has entered for the Betway Champion Chase at the Festival.
Un De Sceaux is the one we all have to beat. He won this race 12 months ago, and was clear of Ar Mad when winning the Tingle Creek last month.
Next for me, it’s Happy Diva in the mares’ hurdle (1.50pm). She’s run really well since stepping up in trip, impressing with wins at both Fontwell and Wetherby.
Although she’s got a bit to find on ratings, she’s an improving mare and should go well.
I rode Rock The Kasbah to victory in the handicap hurdle (2.25pm) 12 months ago, and it would be great to win it again with Wait For Me.
There was a slight issue with his back last season, but he had a really good summer and his jumping at home has been much better since.
He stayed all the way to the line to finish fourth over two miles in the County Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, so 2m3f should suit him well.
In the big handicap chase (3.35pm) I’m on Fox Appeal.
He won at Ludlow before falling at Wincanton last time out. He was travelling well that day, so hopefully he can stay on his feet and put in another good effort.
The novices hurdle (4.05pm) looks a competitive race where I ride Sneaky Feeling.
He was quite green but still managed to win at Newbury last time. I wasn’t that confident of his chances that day as he probably needed the run for experience, so it was great that he gave us a little shock.
He should go well again, but there looks to be plenty of other good horses.
Sausalito Sunrise at Haydock
Sausalito Sunrise ({ODDS:131956177:11/1}) is running in the Peter Marsh Chase (3.15pm) at Haydock and he’s in very good form at home. He’s run well in both his races at Cheltenham this season.
It’s good that Alary is running as it means Sausalito has a nice racing weight. Colin Tizzard’s horse really could be anything.
They’ve been very positive about him and he’d have to run very well in this if he was to be a realistic Gold Cup contender.
Definitly Red is an improving horse and he could run really well. It looks a very open race.
Fontwell on Sunday
Hopefully we’ll be racing at Fontwell on Sunday where I have two rides.
The first is on Tearsofclewbay in the mares’ novices’ hurdle (1.00pm). I’m not sure what went wrong at Haydock last month, but she definitely has plenty of ability.
This is a step down in class and hopefully we can get her back on track.
I’ve never ridden Potters Approach before, but he’s run well on both starts for Warren Greatrex and he should have a strong chance in the novices’ hurdle (3.00pm).
He was third to No Comment at Plumpton last time and that form has been franked since.
Expect to get stick on social media
The abuse Ciaran Gethings got after unseating at Hereford highlighted that social media comes with its negatives.
There are lots of positives, because when you win you’re praised like the best thing since sliced bread, but there are also the negatives.
Ciaran is a very good jockey and a lovely person, who is in the early stages of his career. The abuse caused so much distress that his girlfriend wrote a very eloquent article in the Racing Post.
I thought she came across really well and made some good points.
With racing being a betting-orientated sport, we all accept that people are going to be upset if they’ve lost money and you expect to get some stick sometimes.
We try not to take negative things to heart, but sometimes the abuse can be really vicious. You hope there’s a line that people don’t cross.
