Jim Crowley Newmarket Preview: He deserves his position towards the head of the betting
13:50 Newmarket – Eben Zaabeel
A massive few days for the Shadwell team kicks off with this beautifully bred son of Sea The Stars. Newmarket maidens at this time of the season can be really competitive, with plenty of big yards represented. Unlike my fellow, a few of these have racecourse experience, but he’s been pleasing Charlie [Hills] and the team at home.
He even has an entry in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, which tells you the regard he’s held in, but obviously we’ll learn much more about him here.
15:35 Newmarket – Alyanaabi
Alyanaabi was a shade unlucky at Ascot last time, I’m not saying we’d have won, but we were short of room at a key point, and he ran on well to finish fourth. Dancing Gemini was one place behind us that day and has won twice since, so there’s some substance to the form.
There are plenty of unexposed types who have run once and won once, so it’s hard to have a strong opinion on the form. My fellow won’t mind quick ground, and he’s another with Group 1 entries, so he deserves his position towards the head of the betting. Hopefully he can run to that.
16:45 Newmarket – Crystal Delight
I’ve ridden this gelding a few times, including at Doncaster last time. Until then he’d always pulled a bit too much to settle well, but ironically at Doncaster he was slowly away and was always playing catch up. A quicker surface should help him here, so if we can get off to a decent start – and hopefully he’s learning all the time – he would have an each-way chance.
It would certainly be nice to ride a winner for William Jarvis, who is one of the gentlemen of the sport, before he retires.
NEWMARKET – LATEST BETTING HERE
Jim Crowley, Coral Racing Ambassador
Share
