Our ambassador is set to compete at Ripon on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Racing, and is looking forward to teaming up with a highly-regarded two-year-old for Archie Watson on Sunday. I was pleased with Romance Spirit's debut performance in a one-mile Southwell maiden earlier this month, so I'm anticipating her to be a tough competitor in the Napoleons Casino And Restaurant Leeds Restricted Maiden Stakes at Ripon on Saturday.
As one of five rides at the Garden Racecourse, Marco Botti's daughter of Teofilo performed well on the Tapeta but was hindered by inexperience. With a Dubawi mare as her dam, she has ample stamina and is ready for the extra two furlongs. A favorable draw also works in her favor, so hopefully, she can handle the track's notorious undulations. Seven Questions has already proven himself at the track, which should be an advantage in the feature sprint, the Ripon Silver Sprint Trophy Handicap.
A course winner for his previous trainer George Scott, he has been highly tried but has dropped to an attractive mark and demonstrated his fitness with a good third-place finish at Pontefract a couple of weeks ago. He should be sharper for that run, and although a higher draw would have been preferable, I'm expecting a strong performance off his lowest mark since winning a Leicester nursery. I'm eager to see what Archie Watson's filly Blue Nguru can achieve this year following her maiden win over the minimum distance on the All-Weather at Lingfield Park in December.
Stepping up to six furlongs in the Watch Sky Sports Racing In HD Handicap looks ideal for our daughter of Blue Point, and I believe she's well-treated off an unchanged mark of 71. We enjoyed a successful trip to North Yorkshire last weekend when two-year-old Niewiadoma scored on debut at Thirsk, so hopefully Blue Nguru can follow suit. I'll be riding two horses at Ripon for Dave Loughnane, starting with Thunda Struck in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.
Although I don't know much about her, I did ride a winner at Chester last year for her enthusiastic owners, the Let's Be Lucky Partnership. A breakthrough win at Nottingham gives her stablemate The Sweet Escape prospects in the Sue's 60th Birthday Occasion Handicap. He seemed to enjoy dropping back to a mile, and a three-pound rise leaves him on a workable mark of just 62. After winning with three two-year-olds already in the past week, I'm excited to see what Archie Watson's Phalanx Nation can do in the EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Nottingham on Sunday.
She's a big, scopey Sioux Nation who has matured early and is ready to go to the track. I've ridden her in much of her work at home, and she has a great mindset. If she can translate her homework to a race, I'm sure she'll make a good impression for her owners Victorious Forever, who gave me many magical moments with the great Bradsell.
The traditional Classic trials at Newbury last weekend didn't disappoint, with the Group Three Greenham Stakes looking particularly informative. While Karl Burke's Alparslan dominated the field, I was most impressed by Eve Johnson Houghton's Zavateri, who was a serious eyecatcher. Eve says he's grown a lot over the winter, and once again, he impressed with his attitude, running on to be second.
I was also delighted to see Tom's mount Needle Match staying on to be fourth at big odds. William Haggas' colt has the potential to be even better over a mile and is one to watch.
Touleen couldn't quite win the fillies' trial, the Fred Darling, but she's entitled to come on for her first outing since September and isn't one to give up on. I was delighted for Jack Channon, who won it with Sukanya, and she will be well worth her place in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing's Simon Mapletoft.