Fran Berry's Sporting Life weekend racing blog

It's my first weekend riding as a proper freelance and I've got a great book of rides at Newmarket to look forward to.

I start off on Global Giant, a Shamardal colt trained by Ed Dunlop, in a race the stable won with a decent horse last year. He cost a lot of money and has a useful pedigree so I'm looking forward to having a sit on him and he could be one for the future.

The second effectively looks like a rematch between Pumblechook and Daisy Boy from Leicester where there was just a short-head between them in a bob of heads. Hopefully, it's his turn this time and he can step up again.

I'm getting down to near bottom weight - or hope to, I could put up a pound or two overweight - to ride Lyric Harmony, my first for Giles Bravery although I have ridden for the owners, the Cashmans, back in Ireland. 

She won very well at Thirsk and I hope her handicap mark isn't overly harsh and she's a nice ride to pick up.

I'm also having my first ride for John Berry but Kryptos looks up against it in this maiden on the form he showed for Dermot Weld in Ireland. Hopefully, he can learn from the run and make his mark in handicaps further down the line.

Fang hasn't been to the track for quite a time so you'd expect him to improve for this first run back after a lay-off but he's got the form in the book to get involved so I hope he has an each-way chance in the sprint handicap and it's fingers crossed.

It's a great thrill to have my first ride for Her Majesty The Queen, and Michael Bell, and Merlin is a horse on an upward curve.

He showed a good attitude to win at Haydock and at Nottingham and hopefully he can maintain that here. He looks like one to follow and it's nice to be riding him in the last.

Royal Ascot finished on a disappointing note for me but I was thrilled with the ride She Is No Lady gave me in the Gold Cup on Thursday.

I said in my last blog that I was hoping she'd improve for the step up in trip and she did that and was only beaten half a length for third by a Leger winner which was fantastic.

A bit more ease in the ground would suit her and perhaps something like the Prix du Cadran at the end of the season could be a target as that's over an extreme trip too.

I was too busy trying to get third to see what was going on in front of me but I've watched the replay and it was a tremendous finish to one of the races of the week and a really gutsy performance from Big Orange.

Salouen didn't stay in the King Edward VII Stakes and could drop back in trip now. He was too keen. I took him back early to get over but had to give up my position and he over-raced and was too free. At the furlong pole I thought he might run on to be third, fourth of fifth but he didn't last and nine or 10 furlongs might be more suitable.

Desert Skyline can be very excitable at the start and with the stalls being in front of the stands for the Queen's Vase he got worked up and was up in the air as the gates opened and then propped. We were in the wrong position from the off in a steadily run race and he ran well to get as close as he did.

Hopefully, he'll learn to settle down in the stalls and there will be other days for him.

Caravaggio was brilliant in the Commonwealth Cup today and it will be fascinating to see how Limato goes in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes after struggling abroad in the winter.

He is the one to beat on last season's form but perhaps The Tin Man might represent a bit more value.

The Queen Alexandra Stakes brings the meeting to a close and it's a fascinating race with Thomas Hobson set to reappear and US Army Ranger stepping up in distance.

He was second in last year's Derby and is now taking a huge hike in trip and it will be really interesting to see how he gets on.