Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle is set to compete at Newmarket's Craven meeting, with a key ride on Derby prospect Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. This week, I'll be riding my boss Archie Watson's exciting colt Wareeth, who takes a significant step up in class after winning his novice race over 1m at Newcastle by an impressive 14 lengths. Although Wareeth doesn't have a Derby entry, we've been thrilled with his progress since his racecourse debut. When I rode him last week, he felt great, but we'll learn more about him after this second start.
Aidan O'Brien's Isaac Newton has an edge in experience, having won his maiden at Goodwood and finished fourth in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He holds a Derby entry and boasts an official rating of 106. Like Wareeth, Godolphin's Poseidon's Warrior jumps from novice company after winning over this distance at Goodwood and is also entered in the Classic. All three colts are set to compete in the traditional Derby trial, the Group 2 Dante at York next month.
I'm expecting a strong run from Heather Main's sprinter Zoulu Chief in the Weatherbys With Venatour Racing Handicap on Wednesday. He's been busy on the All-Weather over the winter, winning at Wolverhampton and giving a good battle to Listed winner Completely Random at Lingfield Park.
Approaching his prime as a five-year-old, he's a few pounds higher than his best winning performance at York in 2023 but appears to be a 90 horse. I've had the chance to ride Jane Chapple-Hyam's outsider Harlequin Breeze and can confirm she's worth her place in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes on Wednesday.
Despite likely being an outsider, this tough daughter of New Bay brings some promising form into this Betfred 1000 Guineas trial after getting within a neck of William Haggas's well-regarded Zooming. Harlequin Breeze is still a maiden after three starts but has improved with every run and impressed me with her determination over course and distance back in November.
Impossible Mission needs to prove he's as effective on turf as he is on the All-Weather when he receives weight from his rivals in the National Stud Handicap on Wednesday. John Butler's three-year-old made a winning handicap debut under Neil Callan at Wolverhampton in November and should have come on for his reappearance there last month when he was too keen. Meanwhile, experience will be key for Des Donovan's Lady Fizz in the Molson Coors British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
This debutant takes on fillies from powerful yards over 1m, which may be a minimum trip for her in due course, being out of a 10f winning daughter of Golden Horn. On Thursday, I'm looking forward to riding Marco Botti's Shergar Cup winner Prince Of India in the Zyn Abernant Stakes. It'll be the first time I've ridden him on the track, but I was impressed when I sat on him on the gallops last year. He's a powerfully built colt who could be a force in stakes sprints this summer.
The race appears wide-open, but this son of Wootton Bassett should be spot on after a creditable comeback in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month. I have high expectations for Hawk Mountain this year, so I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make a winning return in the Group 3 Betway Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett is already a Group 1 winner after taking the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October and can strengthen his own Derby claims.
Another favourite of mine, Karl Burke's Boiling Point, returns to turf in the Group 3 Betway Earl Of Sefton Stakes on Wednesday. The Cambridgeshire winner probably needed the outing in a steadily run Winter Derby, but with that run under his belt, he can establish himself as a genuine Pattern performer this season.