Dont miss 32Red ambassador Jamie Spencer’s latest column as he talks through his Saturday rides at Newmarket
Jamie Spencer talks through his rides on Saturday's big card at Newmarket, featuring his ride on the William Haggas-trained Headway in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
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IT’S great to be back in The Sun — and I hope to bring a bit of the warm weather with me.
The sun is forecast to shine on the Rowley Mile this afternoon, but I’ll have to keep a cool Head on my 2,000 Guineas mount.
I’ve picked up the ride on HEADWAY (3.35) for William Haggas in an open race for the first Classic of the season.
He is owned by the Royal Ascot Racing Club and he so nearly gave them a dream result when beaten just a head in the Coventry Stakes last summer.
He looks a high-class horse and it’ll be interesting to see how he shapes up.
He showed a great turn of foot when he won at Lingfield in March.
There must have been about five lengths to make up in the final furlong and he got there in plenty of time to win by a length.
He’ll need a nice pace to aim at but he should get that. He’s stepping up to a mile for the first time so I’ll have to bear that in mind. I’ll need to protect him a bit in the first half of the race and take it from there.
Fast ground is best for him so it was nice to see the sun out on Thursday morning.
It was beautiful in Newmarket and the track dries very quickly because it’s so open.
We should be running on good ground at least.
I’m looking forward to riding him and it would be great if he can get in the shake-up.
It’s not very original, I know, but I think Gustav Klimt is the one to beat.
He was impressive when overcoming all sorts of trouble in the Superlative Stakes at the July meeting last summer.
He won his trial nicely at Leopardstown the other day and he looks the best horse in the race.
His stable companion Saxon Warrior looked pretty smart last year and if Roaring Lion came back to his best he’d have a chance.
It wouldn’t surprise me if any one of four or five won, to be honest.
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I kick off in the first with BANDITRY (1.50). He was in good form last year on the Flat and over jumps.
These horses are pretty adaptable so switching between codes is no problem, especially when they get a bit older, like him.
We had him at Michael Bell’s as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old. I won a Thirsk maiden on him and a race around Epsom — he’s a grand horse.
I think he’s got a little squeak in an open race.
I’m on HIGHBROW (4.45) in the Listed race. He won a Kempton maiden impressively in December on his second start and he seems to be going well at home.
This will be his first run on turf but that doesn’t worry me. He has worked on grass this season and last.
I’ve sat on him a couple of times recently and he’s a nice horse.
He’ll improve as he goes on. Hopefully this will be a stepping-stone to Ascot for him.
It’s a warm race but we’ll give it a shot. Old Persian won at the Craven Meeting and Charlie Appleby has also got Key Victory in there. Graffiti Master has looked OK as well.
Like the 2000 Guineas tomorrow’s 1000 Guineas is very open – there’s no standout filly.
Aidan O’Brien has obviously got a strong hand again headed by Happily but you couldn’t say any horse will definitely win or can’t be beaten.
The Rowley Mile is not the easiest track to ride – it’s very undulating.
The key is to ride your horse not the track. If you ask your horse to do something he’s not comfortable with the he won’t want to do it.
You need to get them balanced and into a good rhythm – get them breathing. It’s a stiff track so you need to get home.