Probert wants that immense feeling again
Highclere jockey has high hopes for Royal Ascot success
LOCAL jockey David Probert is among those geating up for action today at the start of Royal Ascot.
He has enjoyed success at the Royal meeting previous, and has high hopes that he can add to that for regular guv’nor Andrew Balding.
“Royal Ascot is the meeting everyone looks forward to. There are so many Group 1s and high-class races through the week, it’s one of the main festivals of the year.
“I was lucky enough to ride a winner at Royal Ascot a couple of years ago aboard Born In Bombay in the Britannia Stakes and it was an immense feeling. It’s great to ride a winner anywhere, but at Royal Ascot with the thousands of people in the stands the atmosphere is intense – when you’re out in front and you hit the line it’s definitely something special.
“Looking ahead to this year’s Royal meeting, I’m most excited to ride the filly Blond Me (trained by Andrew Balding) in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes on Tuesday. She won a Listed race at Goodwood last time she raced, and was second in a Grade 2 over at Belmont Park in the USA last September. She was very consistent last year and looks to be a very nice filly – hopefully she can run a big race.
“The start of the Stobart Flat Jockeys Championships has gone pretty well for me so far. I thought things would take a little while to wind up this season, but luckily I had my boss Andrew Balding to support me and I’ve ridden 13 winners so far since the Championships kicked off at the end of April.
“I have been at Kingsclere, Berkshire where Andrew is based since I was a 16-year-old apprentice, and it’s a place where you learn something new there every day. I am very grateful that he is still loyal to me and, as he continues to get better horses coming in to the yard, I’m lucky to get some very nice rides off him.
“Andrew has provided me with nine winners so far this year and, with the support of other trainers, I’m aiming to ride over 100 winners in 2016 and hopefully get a Group 1 (or top level) winner this year.”
Softly goes it
Today’s going is now offiially soft after overnight rain and sunshine and showers are expected every day until Friday, when it is possible that more settled conditions may arrive.
Tuesday’s non-runners are:- 2.30pm Queen Anne Stakes - 1 AROD.
3.05pm Coventry Stakes - 1 BROKEN STONES
3.40pm King's Stand Stakes - 5 GOLDREAM; 16 SOLE POWER; 21 ACAPULCO.
5.35pm Windsor Castle Stakes - 4 BECTIVE; 18 READY TO ROC.
