The East have have a big lead after a five-timer on Week 2 but nothing is taken for granted ahead of Week 3 Chepstow on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
I’D SNAP YOUR HAND OFF FOR ONE WINNER AT CHEPSTOW
I’ve always had the greatest faith in my team, The East, but winning eight of the first 14 Racing League races is something I could never have imagined.
Three winners on Week 2 at our ‘home’ fixture at Yarmouth got us off to a flyer, but taking five of the seven races at Wolverhampton last Thursday was an amazing achievement.
To have a royal winner in our yellow jersey in the King and Queen’s Reaching High – trained by the great Sir Michael Stoute – made it extra special and to think we played our joker in a race we finished only fifth in just shows what a remarkable team effort it was.
However, much can change in a week and Week 3 at Chepstow on Thursday could have a very different outcome as we have only eight runners out of a maximum 14.
The undulating track, the possibility of rain softened ground and the sheer logistics of getting horses to south Wales for many of my trainers has weakened our strength in numbers. In fact, if you offered me one winner and a couple of seconds right now I’d snap your hand off.
Reaching High was impressive in Week 2 of the Racing League
We don’t have any representation in the first two races, so it’s going to be unbearable watching from the sidelines as our rivals, in particular the home team Wales and The West, rack up the winners and eat into our early lead of over 100 points.
We have only two jockeys in action at Chepstow but the stylish Danny Muscutt was in tremendous form at Wolverhampton, riding a double, and young Harry Davies has three opportunities to register his first win in our yellow silks.
We spring into action in race three, a 6f handicap that will be contested by Stuart Williams’ EMINENCY and James Fanshawe’s hat-trick seeking ALPINE GIRL. The form of Eminency’s fifth in a hot handicap at Newmarket last month has worked out well with the second and fourth both winning since, so Danny can expect a good performance from a gelding who is back on an attractive mark.
Arthur’s Realm won the Spring Mile Handicap last year and features in the penultimate contest
Alpine Girl, who is drawn higher in stall nine, is thriving with wins on a sound surface at Lingfield Park and Salisbury. She’s gone up 7lb since that winning sequence began but can contribute some valuable points if the ground remains on the quick side.
Stuart fields the quirky but talented EXISTENT in the 5f sprint at 7.00 and I’ve got a strong feeling he will run a big race in his first-time visor. He’s well handicapped, being 6lb below his last winning mark, and the headgear might just give him that extra spark.
I’m banking on Ed Dunlop’s classy WALTER HARTRIGHT to fly the flag high for us in the fifth race, a 1m 4f handicap (7.30) after winning his last four races, including a Racing League heat at Yarmouth two weeks ago. Despite his winning streak, we don’t feel Danny’s mount has reached the ceiling of his capabilities.
He’ll be joined by another Stuart Williams runner, THE THUNDERER, who interests me. He finished well behind Walter at Yarmouth but looks the type of horse who is ready to win when he gets a race run to suit him. The visor may help him find enough improvement to put us some vital points on the board.
Ed and Danny team up again in the 8.00, a £50,000 handicap over 10f, with the reliable ARTHUR’S REALM , who is tough and versatile and won’t be inconvenienced if the forecast rain arrives in south Wales. He won on soft ground at Beverley and Redcar in the spring and is the joint-top-rated runner in the line-up off a mark of 92.
There could be an awful lot hinging on the last race at 8.30, the £75,000 Class 2 feature over 7f, and we do have two chances. My assistant manager Charlie Fellowes runs GORAK , who was beaten only by a whisker in a valuable handicap at Newmarket in May and is lower in the weights now.
I’m also really grateful to Roger Varian for letting GREATGADIAN take his chance to bolster our ranks. Roger feels the trip may be on the short side for this gelding, whose best form is over 1m, but if they go hard, he might just play a part in the finish.
Greatgadian (left) bolsters Team East ranks
Jamie Osborne, who has a strong hand with Wales and The West, and Ireland’s manager Kevin Blake will be licking their lips at the prospect of closing the gap on us on Thursday, but after such a brilliant start it’s all about damage limitation at Chepstow.
If we can emerge from Thursday night’s action with at least one winner and a few placed horses, we’ll still be in a strong position for the remaining fixtures at Windsor, Newcastle and Southwell. I’m looking forward to fielding a strong line-up at all three of those fixtures, especially Newcastle, where some of my trainers have laid out horses they expect to do the business.
I got involved in the Racing League because I wanted to win it. I’m desperate to come out on top, and and I sense that feeling among all my trainers and jockeys. I just love this sport – I ride out for my friend Dylan Cunha and have an un-raced two-year-old with him. I love everything the Racing League brings to the table.
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