Jimmy Styles

As well as the winner Markab, Jimmy Styles also deserves immense credit for finishing third in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon on Saturday. It is common knowledge that you have to be drawn high over six furlongs at Ripon. The advantage is more pronounced on soft ground than it is on fast ground, but it is still a factor on fast ground, which they had on Saturday, so Jimmy Styles was up against it from his draw in stall eigth, although it was a help that the winner was drawn in stall 10 and raced in the near side group as well. Jimmy Styles travelled well throughout the race. He and Markab were the two who were travelling by far the best of the near side group at the two-furlong pole as Advanced went for home on the far side. When Dane O’Neill went for him, he picked up nicely, and he stayed on really well all the way to the line, despite sticking towards the stands side. It is true that Markab quickened better, but he moved towards the far side group inside the final furlong, which may have helped. Markab does tend to move to his right anyway. Fast ground and six furlongs are what Jimmy Styles wants, and he will be a leading player in the Ayr Gold Cup next month if it comes up fast for that.

15th August 2009