Kevin Stott’s Blog: Getting better and Better at Newmarket

I was pleased to ride a winner at Nottingham this week for George Baker, and am hoping to keep pushing the numbers upwards and hit 90 winners for the season.

I’ve a busy day ahead at Newmarket on the first day of the Cambridgeshire meeting and – with any luck – will have a few chances among them.

Thursday, Newmarket

First of the day is Better in the mile maiden (1.50pm). He will have to improve a lot on his first outing for this, as he was well beaten on the All-Weather last week, but he’s more of a type to improve with time. He goes on Turf for the first time here, so it’ll be interesting to see how he goes on that instead, but this is a competitive race and a step forward is needed.

River Pride follows in the fillies’ handicap (3.00pm). I’ve won on her before at Wolverhampton and, although she had plenty of racing on the All-Weather through the winter, she hasn’t done much through the Turf season since moving to George Boughey’s. After a break, she was well-beaten at Chelmsford, but she’s got some good previous form on the Turf, including a second at Newmarket last year in a competitive handicap. She might need to pull a career-best performance out of the bag to win this, but it’ll be interesting to see how she goes on the Turf.

Tenerife Sunshine is next in the 1m4f handicap (4.45pm). Having won on him last time, I’m looking forward to getting back on board. He was impressive at Kempton that day, having had a long break, and was a bit on and off the bridle, but he put in a really good finishing effort and should take a big step forward for that run. Back on the grass now, the mile and a half trip should suit and there’s much more to come from this big, improving three-year-old.

Last of the day is Ranger Thunderbolt in a mile handicap (5.18pm). I won on him at Newbury in July over the same trip, and he followed up that run with a solid second under Richard Kingscote over 1m2f, and he steps back to a mile this time, which should see him at his best. He should be able to go well here off his current mark, and has the weight-for-age as a bonus too, and I feel he will progress with time. I’m looking forward to getting back on and it’ll be interesting to see how the race develops for him.