Our ambassador will be on the scene at Ripon this Saturday, featured live on Sky Sports Racing, and is eager to team up with a highly regarded two‑year‑old for jockey Archie Watson on Sunday. I was thrilled with Romance Spirit’s first outing over a mile at Southwell in a maiden race earlier this month, so I anticipate she will be tough to beat in the Napoleons Casino And Restaurant Leeds Restricted Maiden Stakes at 2:15 p.m.
on Saturday at Ripon. Among the five runners at the Garden Racecourse, the daughter of Teofilo, trained by Marco Botti, travelled like the leader for much of the way on the Tapeta surface, but a touch of inexperience ultimately cost her.
She comes from a Dubawi mare, so stamina is plentiful in her pedigree, and she is certainly ready for the added two furlongs. Our draw is favourable, which should help her handle the track’s notorious undulations. Seven Questions has already shown his quality at this venue, giving him a clear edge in the afternoon’s feature sprint, the Ripon Silver Sprint Trophy Handicap at 4:10 p.m. He previously won for trainer George Scott, has been well‑tried, and recently dropped back to an attractive weight, confirming his soundness with a solid third place at Pontefract on his first start of the year a few weeks ago.
He should be sharper now, and although I would have liked a better draw, I expect a strong performance from the low‑draw position he last used when he captured a Leicester nursery. Never miss a story – get the latest racing news, interviews and features straight to your phone.
Find out more. I am also looking forward to seeing what Archie Watson’s filly Blue Nguru can achieve this season after her breakthrough 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 at 5:20 p.m.
seems perfect for our daughter of Blue Point, who I hope will stay on an unchanged rating of 71. We enjoyed a successful trip to North Yorkshire last weekend when two‑year‑old Niewiadoma won on debut at Thirsk, so I am hopeful Blue Nguru can emulate that performance. I will ride two horses at Ripon for Dave Loughnane, starting with Thunda Struck in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at 1:40 p.m. I don’t know much about her, but I did deliver a winner at Chester last year for her enthusiastic owners, the Let’s Be Lucky Partnership.
A breakthrough victory at Nottingham gives her stablemate The Sweet Escape a promising chance in the Sue’s 60th Birthday Occasion Handicap at 4:45 p.m. He seemed to relish the step back to a mile, and a three‑pound increase leaves him on a workable rating of just 62. Having already secured three wins with two‑year‑olds in the past week, I can’t wait to see what Archie Watson’s Phalanx Nation can do in the EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at 2:48 p.m. on Sunday at Nottingham.
She is a big‑bodied, scopey Sioux Nation who has come to hand early and is eager to hit the track. I have ridden her in many of her home workouts and she possesses a brilliant mind.
If she can translate that preparation into race‑day performance, I am confident she will impress her owners, Victorious Forever, who have given me countless magical moments with the great Bradsell. Stay tuned for the latest horse racing news, interviews and features from Sky Sports Racing.
The traditional Classic trials at Newbury last weekend lived up to expectations, with the Group Three Greenham Stakes providing particularly insightful form. While Karl Burke’s Alparslan dominated his rivals, I was most impressed by Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri, a genuine eye‑catcher. Eve noted that he has grown considerably over the winter and once again displayed a commendable attitude, finishing a solid second.
I was also delighted to see Tom Marquand’s mount Needle Match stay on to finish fourth at generous odds. William Haggas’s colt has the potential to improve further over a mile and is definitely one to watch. Touleen fell short of winning the fillies’ trial, the Fred Darling Stakes, but she is making her first start since September and has shown plenty of determination. I was thrilled for Jack Channon, who claimed victory with Sukanya; she will be well‑placed for the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.