Our ambassador seeks another Pitmen’s Derby success on Saturday and is aboard leading fancy Trooper Bisdee, one of several strong weekend rides, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Two years ago the gallant Trueshan gave me one of my proudest days in the saddle when he ground out a record-breaking victory in the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate, one of the toughest and most famous handicaps in the racing calendar.
To be back on Saturday with another favourite’s chance on Trooper Bisdee (3.10), live on Sky Sports Racing, will bring those memories back into sharp focus and it would be amazing to repeat the feat for another brilliant trainer, Sir Mark Prescott.
His decision not to run Royal Ascot winner Pledgeofallegiance leaves this progressive four-year-old at the head of the ante-post markets for the two mile Tapeta marathon so I couldn’t wish for a better chance.
With a 5lb penalty for last weekend’s win at Pontefract – his fourth in just five starts – Trooper Bisdee gets in off just 8st 6lb and looks fairly drawn in stall 10. Hopefully he’ll have the tactical speed to be in the right place at the right time.
His stamina knows no bounds as he demonstrated over that demanding two-mile and two furlongs at the West Yorkshire track and though he has little experience of synthetics he does act on a sound surface on turf and this big track should really suit him.
I also have a favourite’s chance in the two mile Jenningsbet Festival Northumberland Vase Handicap (2.35) on Saturday on Cathy O’Leary’s progressive Irish raider Alphonse Le Grande.
This talented gelding brings perfect credentials to the race having won the Chester Plate in May for Tony Martin. He’s 8lb higher now but is clearly thriving and is no stranger to the All-Weather with two Dundalk handicaps under his girth this year.
Stall 12 looks okay for him, too. He’s a strong traveller who managed to win well on the Roodee despite not getting the clearest of runs from a much lower starting position.
My old friend Albasheer had no luck in a steadily run Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot last weekend but it will hopefully be a different story in the Jenningsbet Nun Street Newcastle Open Now Chipchase Stakes (2.04) on Saturday.
Archie Watson’s gelding is rated 10lb better on the All-Weather than he is on turf so stepping into Group 3 company shouldn’t be a negative for a horse who won twice at this track back in the winter.
It’s a red hot renewal with dual Group 1 winner Kinross making his belated re-appearance but Albasheer is capable of a big run in this grade if he’s on a going day and has match fitness on his side.
He’s quirky, so needs everything to go his way, but rattled home off a strong pace in a good handicap over course and distance in March and is entitled – on ratings alone – to be in the shake-up.
My boss Imad Alsagar’s Rizg is a horse we have always thought a lot of so it’s good to see him back from a lengthy absence in the opening Jenningsbet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap (1.35) on Saturday.
I popped into Roger Varian’s Newmarket yard to sit on him the other day and was really happy with his physical progress since suffering a setback two years ago.
He’s grown and filled out and looks a much stronger horse than he was but this is his first run back since the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in 2022 so we’ll have to see how he takes it.
I have a winning chance on Richard Hannon’s Local Hero in the seven furlong Download The Raceday Ready App Handicap (3.40) on Saturday.
He won well for Sean Levey in a Kempton handicap earlier this month and has a nice enough profile to cope with a 6lb rise to a new mark of 91 on a track he should enjoy.
I’m also on his stable companion Invited for Amo racing in the Wear Skopes Menswear EBF Novice Stakes (4.15). It’s a valuable race for its type so we could come up against some promising types but I like his credentials.
Invited has that edge of experience, finishing third on debut in a 6.5f Newbury novice before bumping into Charlie Appleby and Godolphin’s Ancient Truth over seven furlongs at Newmarket last weekend. He stuck on well that day and should enjoy the straight track.
I team up again with Richard Hannon and Amo Racing in the Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com Handicap (4.50) on Saturday on Forca Timao.
He’s run some nice races on the All-Weather, chasing home the useful Storm Catcher at Lingfield and Wolverhampton, and has been eased in the weights. His only win came at Doncaster so a return to a galloping track should be in his favour.
I’m not without a chance in the finale on Saturday, the Get The Inside Track With raceday-ready.com Handicap (5.25) over the extended twelve furlongs.
Eight-year-old Parramount is better known for his exploits over hurdles but has run some nice races on the All-Weather this year. His trainer Charlie Longsdon must be keen to get a run into him as he prefers some give underfoot so this could be a good opportunity until he gets back over timber.
The renewal of the Jenningsbet In Delves Group 3 Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes (6.00) at Newcastle on Friday looks particularly strong with proven Pattern performers Chic Colombine, Tiffany and German Guineas winner Darnation in the line-up.
I ride Glimpsed for Ralph Beckett, who won a Listed fillies’ race at Newmarket last back-end but hasn’t been able to build on that at York and Epsom this year.
That said, she wasn’t disgraced in either race, including the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Derby Day, so it would be nice to think she could pinch some valuable black type.
It won’t be easy, with Chic Colombine, who finished in front of her at Epsom, looking the one we all have to beat but it’s a fascinating race to be involved in.
Perfectly Timed is definitely going the right way and has plenty going for him in the Skopes.co.uk Best For Menswear Handicap (6.35) on Friday.
Already a winner on the All-Weather, Archie Watson’s three-year-old gelding remains unexposed and ran well enough at Brighton last month considering he didn’t handle the track as well as the winner.
Post Rider, the horse that beat him that day, has won again since to advertise the form and this more conventional test will play to his strengths.
Later, I renew my acquaintance with Phil Kirby’s Fircombe Hall in the Jenningsbet In North Shields Handicap (8.20). I won on this old boy over this course and distance three and a half years ago and although he’s not been in that kind of form lately he did get his head in front at Newcastle in May so clearly retrains his ability.
Archie Watson and Hambleton Racing’s globetrotter Outbox is back on his travels on Sunday when he runs in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2.55) in France, live on Sky Sports Racing.
He was back to his best when dominating the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in the spring but hated every minute of his trip to Denmark for a Group 3 last month.
Good to soft ground and a more conventional track at Saint-Cloud should suit him much better and he felt in great shape when I rode him work at Archie’s earlier in the week. He’s not the easiest to predict and this is a big test, but he might just out-run big odds.
