HARRY BENTLEY
EXCLUSIVE
I’M delighted to have ridden two winners from three rides since returning to Britain from my annual winter stint in Dubai and Qatar.
It has been a really good start and now I’m looking to build on my number of rides.
My main goal, as always, will be to better the number of winners I had last year. I rode 56 in 2015 and last year I managed 59.
As a freelance you never quite know what is around the corner but I’m riding out for Roger Varian and Roger Charlton.
Improved
I’m at Kempton today for two rides, starting with LUCY THE PAINTER (3.45) in the Watch Racing UK On Sky 432 Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes.
I’ve ridden her a dozen times in the past 18 months and won three times on her last year.
She’s tremendously genuine and has improved massively, now being rated 97 having been 78 this time last year.
She’s a Listed-class filly but at a point where she’s in competitive races that are hard for her to win.
Laugh Aloud is probably the one to beat in the race but Lucy The Painter always tries her best and will not fail through lack of effort.
Later on the card I ride RED ENSIGN (4.50) in the Over 2,800 Flat Races On Racing UK Conditions Stakes and, while the ratings suggest he has a bit to find, I think on his best form he can run a very big race and be thereabouts.
I rode him on his debut last year, when he was third to Escobar at Newbury, and next time out he beat Al Hamdany in a maiden at Kempton.
He has been gelded since last season and that will help him keep his mind on the job.
It’s great to have a top-class horse like Limato to again look forward to this year.
He was unable to show his best on World Cup night in Dubai but the ground was against him, being soft and tacky.
You would have thought he would be guaranteed to get his ground in Dubai but it rained heavily on the day of the race.
Open
Comrade Conrad, a newcomer for Mr Charlton, did well to win on his debut at Windsor this week and is open to loads of improvement.
He probably surprised us by winning first time out. He did nothing wrong in the race and came home well, even though I wasn’t hard on him. I’m sure he will improve loads for the run.