Oisin Murphy is in great form at present and he's on Matthew Flinders in the International Handicap - get his thoughts on him and more in this week's column.
ASCOT SATURDAY RIDES
DESERT DREAMER – 1.50 Ascot
DESERT DREAMER deserves to win a Group Three so hopefully this will be her day in the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes. I see System is the early favourite but I think I should’ve beaten her on Desert Dreamer two starts ago at Newmarket and my filly ran a cracker last time behind Sandrine in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. I think she goes there with a favourite’s chance.
GURU – 2.25 Ascot
He ran well at Ascot last time when the pace held up and the winner made all. GURU came from off the pace and was only beaten a neck, so it was a very good effort. He’s obviously a gelding now and when John Gosden has this type of horse rated on 90, he clearly thinks they’ve got a little bit of upside.
MATTHEW FLINDERS – 3.00 Ascot
Last time out he ran a career-best at Chester and is 10lb well in here on the back of that run. He was too keen at Ascot the time before, but I’m drawn next to the Bunbury Cup winner Motakhayyel on Saturday and if I can relax and get a tow into the race off him I think he’ll go very well. He can be his own worst enemy sometimes, he’s very talented but it’s all about getting him to switch off.
WONDERFUL TONIGHT – 3.35 Ascot
I’m delighted to get on WONDERFUL TONIGHT in the King George for David Menuisier with William Buick riding Adayar. We’ll be doing a bit of a rain dance as there’s no doubt she would appreciate the possible thunderstorms. She’s top class, a really good filly, so it’s exciting to get on her with a King George at stake. It’s a very good race, the vibes about Love have been strong and then there’s Mishriff as well as the three-year-olds. The King George is a race we all savour and it’s great to be part of such a high-class renewal.
Ffos Las four-timer among this week’s winners
It was great to get a four-timer on the board at Ffos Las on Tuesday, it’s a track I like but I didn’t even ride there last year.
I rode winners for three different trainers in Andrew Balding, Roger Charlton and Rod Millman and it’s quite easy for me to get there from Lambourn, the Newmarket guys have a longer trek.
The pick of them was probably Valley Forge for Andrew and owner George Strawbridge, he was expected to win his maiden but he showed a good attitude in doing so.
Over at Sandown on Wednesday I rode Sunset Bay to victory for Ed Walker, whose horses are also flying.
She was very good in winning by four lengths, she looks like she’s improving and we’ll go slowly with her.
She’s owned by a lovely owner-breeder in Jeffrey Hobby who is a big supporter and it’s always important to get winners for those guys.
Documentary coming soon…
You might’ve seen the news about the new racing documentary myself and Andrew Balding will be appearing in which will hopefully be coming to a streaming service near you soon.
I’d keep your eyes peeled as I’ve seen the opening segment and it should really reel you in, I can’t wait to see the finished series.
We’ve been filming for over a year, nearly 18 months now, and it’s a very real and honest look into the life of a racehorse trainer and his jockey.
They filmed on days when I wasn’t having any winners and I was a bit down and out, while obviously it has all my French trials and everything after I failed a drugs test last summer.
I think it can really take people on the journey of what it’s like.