Amy Ryan - A Jockey’s Diary: Ripon double gave week perfect start, now I want to finish on York high

Ardmay, trained by my father Kevin, won the feature event at the ‘Garden Racecourse’ on Sunday. It was a very competitive race and we were delighted to take the prize. I imagine punters backing the horse were pleased too – he was returned at 16-1.

I was on a real high, especially as I then won for West Yorkshire trainer Richard Whitaker on board Avon Breeze an hour later.

Twenty-four hours on and I was off to Redcar where I enjoyed another winner for our yard. Bousatet will really come on for that victory.

I think she will be a filly to follow this season.

This evening I take three rides at Musselburgh Racecourse east of Edinburgh.

I haven’t sat on any of them before, so it will be interesting to see how they get on, especially as two of them are making their seasonal debuts.

Tomorrow afternoon, it’s York Racecourse for me. I am very excited about the prospects for a couple of my rides.

I start in the big sprint at 2.55pm on Bogart.

He finished eighth of 17 runners in the Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes over six furlongs during last week’s Dante Festival. That was actually a terrific run. He was running an absolute blinder until the final furlong.

Tomorrow, he reverts to five furlongs. That will suit him. It’s also a return to handicap company for a horse who has competed with the best in the likes of the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes during the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival in August.

I predict that Bogart, who has winning form on Knavesmire from two years ago, will go close tomorrow.

Rio’s Rosanna is already a regular feature of my columns and I’m also optimistic about her chances tomorrow. She goes for the York And Ryedale Domestic Appliances Handicap at 4pm.

She has winning form at York as well and it is coming to her time of year as that – it was June last year.

The six-year-old mare ran an excellent race in defeat in the Betfred Jorvik Stakes at the Dante Festival.

There are never any easy races at York and last week’s handicap was a hot one.

She was drawn wide in that race, but she has a more advantageous position in the starting stalls tomorrow. On paper it doesn’t look quite as competitive a race as the Jorvik and she’ll appreciate a little bit of give in the ground in the event of any rain from the showers forecast for today.

My third and final ride at York tomorrow is on Wotalad in the Ice Co EBF Maiden Stakes at 4.35pm.

The Richard Whitaker-trained horse has yet to get his head in front after four outings, but his third place at Musselburgh a week ago shows that he’s heading in the right direction. I hope he can go well for me.

The feature race tomorrow is the Listed Stowe Family Law LLP Grand Cup. A few years ago, one wouldn’t have expected to see two ‘jump’ jockeys taking part! Graham Lee, of course, switched codes very successfully last year, while William Twiston-Davies rides on the Flat and over jumps. Tomorrow he’s is riding Mad Moose for his father Nigel, the top jumps trainer from Gloucestershire.

Two of my predecessors as Yorkshire Post racing columnists Pauls Hanagan and Mulrennan are also in action at York, as is three times champion jockey Ryan Moore - who has already posted six winners on Knavesmire after a flying Dante Festival – so the competition tomorrow looks as tough as ever.

The first race at York Racecourse tomorrow is at 1.50pm. Gates are open from 11.15am. Find out more at yorkracecourse.co.uk or call 01904 620911. Admission: £7 Course; £20 Grandstand & Paddock; £36 CountyStand. Accompanied under 16s are admitted free of charge.