Dont miss 32Red ambassador Jamie Spencer’s latest column as he talks through his Saturday rides
Jamie Spencer has a busy day at Newbury ahead where he rides Lansky in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes
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I’VE got another busy Saturday with six rides at Newbury before dashing off to Wolverhampton under the lights in the evening.
I kick off in the pink-and-green colours of Jim and Fitri Hay. I jetted over to Canada to ride Deauville for them in a Grade 1 at Woodbine last weekend but he just didn’t fire.
Hopefully Capital Flight (1.45) will fare better. He ran well at Goodwood first time out at York and then bombed out at York.
He’s on a retrieval mission so we’ll just have to see how he goes. It looks like a warm race.
Second Step (1.45) has had a good solid season. He won a Windsor Listed race last time out and previously just got beaten by Poet’s Word at Goodwood.
That one went on to finish second in the Irish Champion Stakes so the form is pretty strong.
Roger Charlton is very happy with him and this Group 3 is the next logical step. He’s won two Listed races this season so he’d have a penalty at that level.
He’s been very consistent this year winning two of his five starts and he’s been runner-up in two of the others. I guess this will be his last race of the year so hopefully he’ll sign off with another good run.
I thought Desert Encounter might be hard to beat. He’s rated 4lbs higher than us and should be suited by the way the race is likely to be run.
Lansky (2.50) goes in the Mill Reef Stakes. Being a breeze-up horse he showed good speed first time out when winning at Windsor.
He then went to York for the Acomb. Not much went his way – he was drawn on the outside – but he ran on well to be third.
He’s got a few lengths to make up on James Garfield but Lansky is lightly-raced and he should have a little bit more improvement in him.
It was seven furlongs at York but it’s a sharp seven. Dropping to six on a stiffer track like Newbury shouldn’t be a problem. He goes there with a chance.
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Banksea (3.25) hasn’t done much since winning the Newbury Spring Cup for me first time out in April.
He was disappointing in the Royal Hunt Cup and wasn’t any better back at Ascot the other day. He needs to get back on track.
I rode him the other day and he seems in good form. He’s got a chance but he hasn’t kept any secrets from the handicapper.
We’re banking on the return to 1m2f on good ground making the difference.
I wouldn’t imagine I’ve ridden much for jumps trainer Kim Bailey but I’ve picked up a ride for him on Sunblazer (4.35).
I remember Willy Twiston-Davies winning a few all-weather races on him a couple of winters ago.
This looks a competitive race and I don’t really know much more about him than anyone else.
He’s dropping back in distance after running in staying races and we’ll give it a go.
Warsaw Road (5.05) wouldn’t want any rain. He’s won two of his last three starts but they’ve both been on fast ground.
He needs it like that because when it’s soft he just can’t operate. He’ll have a little squeak as he’s progressing well but he needs the rain to stay away.
I go to Wolverhampton for Staunch (7.40). I ride a lot for his owner Marc Keller – he’s had a good year with the likes of Quargent and Quivery.
Staunch is a nice colt. I rode him first time out at Lingfield on the grass – he was very green but he came home well to finish second to one of Sir Michael Stoute’s.
He was quite relaxed and babyish so the race should’ve woken him up. I’d be disappointed if he couldn’t take care of this lot.
I thought the St Leger was a high-class race. They went a good pace and it sorted the wheat from the chaff.
Crystal Ocean looked the winner the way he was travelling but he didn’t seem to get home. He’ll be much better back at 1m4f but you can’t take anything away from Capri. He’s a hard horse to gauge as he only just beat what’s put in front of him.