Aiming to bring Godolphin more success on board Mizwaaj

It’s always good to put one on the board early – and Our Joe Mac provided me with that and defeated a large field in the Patrington Haven Leisure Park Stakes on Wednesday afternoon.

I’m involved in just three races this afternoon, but have a full book of rides tomorrow when I am hopeful about at least two of my chances.

I was gutted when I heard that my intended mount in today’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes – Bapak Chinta – had picked up a minor injury and wouldn’t run. I felt he was my best chance of the festival.

I’m now on board Breathless Kiss, an outsider in the Nunthorpe, which is part of the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series.

I think the Group 1 race could be between two Yorkshire-trained horses – Hoof It, winner of the Sky Bet Dash at Knavesmire last month, and Masamah, which also won at the racecourse last month in the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes. Both horses are in fantastic form, demonstrated by each winning at Glorious Goodwood, too.

After winning for the stable in the Shergar Cup earlier this month, I’m very pleased to have been asked to ride another horse for Godolphin. Mizwaaj makes his racecourse debut in the Sky Bet Mobile Convivial Maiden Stakes at 4.15pm, the richest maiden race in the country which I would love to add to my tally.

On to tomorrow, and it’s another big day for the Ebor Festival, and I am looking forward to quite a number of the races.

Newmarket trainer Michael Bell has asked me to ride Allied Powers in the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at 3.05pm. I was on the horse when he was second in York’s Sky Bet York Stakes two years ago, and I rate him.

He’s done quite a lot of his racing in France in recent times with some successes. The six-year-old runs better on a good surface, and the drying ground will give me a decent opportunity.

I think Allied Powers, along with Holy Roman Warrior in the Betfred Bonus King Stakes at 4.50pm, offer me my best chances of winners tomorrow.

Holy Roman Warrior has come on a lot at home since he won at York just about a month ago. He’s going to have a big chance.

My mount in the Betfred Ebor is Ted Spread for trainer Mark Tompkins, a Yorkshireman. As ever, it will be a supremely competitive race, and one that will take a lot of winning.

My horse wouldn’t be without a chance, though he hasn’t won since victory in the Chester Vase 15 months ago. This is the first time I will have ridden him, with his most recent outing being in Paris last month when he was fourth of 12 in a Group 2 race.

Among other races tomorrow, I’m on board Majestic Myles, a horse I like a lot, in the Listed Debenhams City of York Stakes at 2pm. It’s a very competitive race, but he’s won two races from five this season.

In the tyregiant.com Stakes at 5.20pm, I am reunited with Marino Commando, who won for me at Royal Ascot 14 months ago. However, that seemed to take a lot out of him and he’s had a few disappointing races since then. He was more like his old self when third at Chester last month, so I hope he can improve again.

For the last two days of the Festival, daily admission prices range from £8 to £52. The feature races today and tomorrow are the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes and the Betfred Ebor. Further details can be found on www.yorkracecourse.co.uk or by calling 01904 620911.