Fran Berry column ahead of All Weather Championships Finals at Lingfield on Good Friday
Leading jockey Fran Berry reflects on Lincoln day at Doncaster and looks ahead to his weekend rides, including Intrepidly for the in-form Jeremy Noseda.
Before even mentioning a horse this week I’d like to send good friend and weighing room colleague Pat Smullen my best wishes.
I spent the day with him on Thursday and he's as determined as ever. His determination sets him apart from others and is going to stand him in good stead.
Like everyone else, I was shocked to hear the news and I wish him and his family all the very best.
It didn’t quite pan out for Leader Writer who I felt held excellent each-way claims in last weekend’s 32Red Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster, but he was anything but disgraced and gave me a really good feel.
He’s definitely not a horse to be giving up on by any means and with any luck he’ll be up to landing one of these major handicaps.
What looked a good draw on paper turned out to be the worst possible as the far side had around six lengths on me by the time I'd got across and got some cover, so he's done well to finish his race off and be seventh.
It looked a very strong Lincoln this year and the form will work out. I'm not saying I'd have got close to the first two but with a better draw Leader Writer might well have been third or fourth and he's been dropped 1lb in the ratings.
The obvious target now would be the Spring Cup at Newbury and I just hope he can scrape into that now.
He wasn’t the only one to run with promise on the day at Doncaster as Colonel Frank shaped really well in the seven furlong handicap on his first outing for Mick Quinn. This is a run he should be able to build on and wherever he goes he'll be competitive.
Lihou and Chiave Di Volta also shaped with some promise and coped well enough in the circumstances with the ground riding quite testing.
The latter got a little bit worked up and may just need another run before he fully knows what he's meant to be doing, but there is definitely ability there.
My main ride at Lingfield on All Weather Championships Finals day is on Gracious John in the Sprint. He’s been a bit of a hero for me over the winter and is just a very tough, hardened sprinter. He obviously has plenty of strong course form and at around 10/1 he looks like he’s being underestimated again.
There are some classy performers in opposition here, as you’d expect with the money on offer, but he’s in good shape and shouldn’t be dismissed. I'll attempt to get out and set the fractions as he likes to be out on his own and always responds when tackled, but I admit Kachy and Gifted Master are high-class horses who could be tough to hold off.
Titan Goddess runs in the Fillies' And Mares' and while she's far from a no-hoper, she does have a major task on her hands. She's up in grade quite significantly and is worth a shot at it given her rating, but a bit of place money may be the best I can realistically hope for.
Onto Saturday and I'm not on American Gigolo in the Queen's Cup Handicap at Musselburgh as he's got such a low weight but I was very happy with him at Newcastle when completing a hat-trick of wins and he's got to be of interest back on the turf.
I ride Stellar Surprise in the Listed Better Odds With Matchbook Magnolia Stakes at Kempton and it looks a reasonable opportunity to nick some black type with her. She gets weight from most of the others and her record in smaller fields is pretty strong.
She's in good heart and should be thereabouts when it matters.
My other ride at Kempton is Intrepidly for Jeremy Noseda in the Matchbook Betting Podcast Roseberry Handicap and he does have a course win to his name.
He was disappointing here last time and stall 13 around here isn't ideal at all but he showed some potential last year and could still have a bit of improvement in him from a mark of 90 if bouncing back to his best.
Then it's on to Chelmsford in the evening starting with I'm Waiting. It's a low grade handicap but Anthony McCann brings the mare over and he's a trainer I've had a few winners for when I was based in Ireland.
Her latest Dundalk effort was probably a career best and if she steps up again then she's got to be a player at this level.
Irish Times is having a third start in the Bet Trifecta At Totesport.com Maiden Stakes and can hopefully show a bit more in this small field than he has in his previous couple of outings. Richard Hannon's horse Promising is rated 96 so should be winning this but we'll see how ours goes.
Tawaafoq rounds the night off for me and he's a hard horse to predict in truth. The draw could also have been kinder as he's in stall 10 and the kick-back at Chelmsford can be quite bad.
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