Jim Crowley Blog | Newmarket Craven Meeting
14 Apr 2025
Coral Racing Ambassador, Jim Crowley, previews his four rides over the first two days of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket, including the promising Elmonjed who is having his first start since landing the spoils in a very competitive handicap at York's Ebor Festival last year.
Tuesday
13:50 Newmarket – Elmonjed
He is a horse we like very much. I missed him last time when he won at York because I could not get down to the weight. He only carried 8st7lb, so Tom Marquand was on board. He looks like a progressive sprinter. William Haggas’ runners are in good form, so I think he is a worthy favourite here. It would be great to start the meeting off with a winner.
15:35 Newmarket – Saguaro Blossom
Brian Meehan is a very good trainer, and he would not have entered this filly in this race had she not shown significant improvement at home. He is not the kind of trainer who just wants a day out at Newmarket with a 100/1 shot. She will need to improve from her debut at Lingfield, but hopefully, with that run now behind her, she will show what she is capable of.
16:45 Newmarket – Mahogany Bay
She is a daughter of Churchill and had just one run last season. Hopefully, she will have grown over the winter into her frame. She is stepping up to 1m now, which her breeding suggests she will appreciate. Brian Meehan’s horses have started the season well, so there is a good chance we can outrun our odds.
Wednesday
14:25 Newmarket – Altareq
Shadwell have two horses in this race, and it is a contest which is renowned for being won by some nice horses. My runner has a great pedigree and is a brother of Al Asifah, who ran in the Ribblesdale Stakes a couple of years ago.
He has been working nicely at home. Whatever he does here, he is a horse we like for the future, so he is one for the notebook.
Season Ahead
I had a big winner out in Qatar during the winter which was the highlight of my off-season. Dubai was a little quieter this year, but I did have a couple of rides at the Carnival. It is nice to have some rest during the winter, but as a jockey, you want to be riding as often as you can, so you do count down the starts until the British Flat season gets back underway.
The horse I am most looking forward to riding this year is Anmaat, who of course won last year’s Champion Stakes at Ascot. I think he is the best horse in Europe, and he should feature in all the leading 1m2f races, and perhaps he will even step up to 1m4f at some stage.
Owen Burrows has a filly called Falakeyah, who has an entry in the Oaks. She won on her debut at Wolverhampton back in November. She looks like a very nice horse who hopefully will be a big player at Epsom.
Another horse to look out for this season is Munsif. He won on his debut at Nottingham last week for Roger Varian. I am sure he will be stepping up in class now, and he has a big future.
I am very excited about the season ahead as we have some nice horses who could make their mark on the campaign.
Jim Crowley, Coral Racing Ambassador
Tuesday
13:50 Newmarket – Elmonjed
He is a horse we like very much. I missed him last time when he won at York because I could not get down to the weight. He only carried 8st7lb, so Tom Marquand was on board. He looks like a progressive sprinter. William Haggas’ runners are in good form, so I think he is a worthy favourite here. It would be great to start the meeting off with a winner.
15:35 Newmarket – Saguaro Blossom
Brian Meehan is a very good trainer, and he would not have entered this filly in this race had she not shown significant improvement at home. He is not the kind of trainer who just wants a day out at Newmarket with a 100/1 shot. She will need to improve from her debut at Lingfield, but hopefully, with that run now behind her, she will show what she is capable of.
16:45 Newmarket – Mahogany Bay
She is a daughter of Churchill and had just one run last season. Hopefully, she will have grown over the winter into her frame. She is stepping up to 1m now, which her breeding suggests she will appreciate. Brian Meehan’s horses have started the season well, so there is a good chance we can outrun our odds.
Wednesday
14:25 Newmarket – Altareq
Shadwell have two horses in this race, and it is a contest which is renowned for being won by some nice horses. My runner has a great pedigree and is a brother of Al Asifah, who ran in the Ribblesdale Stakes a couple of years ago.
He has been working nicely at home. Whatever he does here, he is a horse we like for the future, so he is one for the notebook.
Season Ahead
I had a big winner out in Qatar during the winter which was the highlight of my off-season. Dubai was a little quieter this year, but I did have a couple of rides at the Carnival. It is nice to have some rest during the winter, but as a jockey, you want to be riding as often as you can, so you do count down the starts until the British Flat season gets back underway.
The horse I am most looking forward to riding this year is Anmaat, who of course won last year’s Champion Stakes at Ascot. I think he is the best horse in Europe, and he should feature in all the leading 1m2f races, and perhaps he will even step up to 1m4f at some stage.
Owen Burrows has a filly called Falakeyah, who has an entry in the Oaks. She won on her debut at Wolverhampton back in November. She looks like a very nice horse who hopefully will be a big player at Epsom.
Another horse to look out for this season is Munsif. He won on his debut at Nottingham last week for Roger Varian. I am sure he will be stepping up in class now, and he has a big future.
I am very excited about the season ahead as we have some nice horses who could make their mark on the campaign.
Jim Crowley, Coral Racing Ambassador
Share
