When Adam Kirby reflects on 2014, week 48 will be considered as one the best seven days of his year.On Thursday night Coral’s All-Weather racing ambassador surpassed his best ever tally, when reaching 169 winners in a calendar year. A superb achievement for the 26 year-old and one that hasn’t gone unnoticed by leading owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. As on Tuesday it was announced that Adam will replace Andrea Atzeni as retained rider to Luca Cumani’s principle patron. The arrangement will see Adam riding of some of Bedford House’s leading lights next season including Great Voligeur Stakes winner Postponed, Connecticut, Mount Logan, Bartholomew Fair and White Lake. He said: “I delighted to have been given such an opportunity. We’ve all had a bit of luck together so I’m really pleased to have got it. It’s good for my career and I’m hoping we’ll have lots of good days ahead.” More immediately Adam is at Wolverhampton for their twilight cards on Friday and Saturday evening. Here he shares his thoughts on his ten rides over the next two days. Friday 3:55 Wolverhampton I have four rides at Wolverhampton this evening. First up is True Course for Mr Appleby. I haven’t ridden her before but she was fifth at Kempton on her last run and that was from a bad draw. To be honest they all look average sorts in the race. I think it all depends on how good the Sir Mark Prescott horse turns out to be. But I have a good draw, I I’ll be jumping, going forward, holding me posi and hoping for the best. She definitely has a chance. 4:55 Wolverhampton I’m on Bint Malyana for Paul D’Arcy. Again I haven’t ridden her before but she seems pretty consistent. It’s a tricky looking contest, looks very open. On the plus side she’s got a good draw in stall 2 and has snippets of good form around Wolverhampton, she won her maiden at the corresponding fixture last year so I’d be more race hopeful rather than confident but we’ll be there trying our best. 5:55 Wolverhampton I ride Majeyda in the Fast Track Qualifier for Mr Appleby. I’ve haven’t been on her before will be hoping for the best. She hasn’t raced since June but is top rated amongst these and has some really good pieces of form. She was a respectable sixth in the 1000 Guineas and has won a Listed race. However, it’s an open enough little race to be honest. Penny Drops is very consistent, and is blinkered for the first time and the James Fanshawe horse (Badr Al Badoor) has good form too. I suppose of the four I’m riding tonight, she’s probably my best chance of a winner. 7:25 Wolverhampton In the last race of the night I’m on Moonday Sun for Andy Turnell. I haven’t ridden the horse before but I think he used to be with Amanda Perrett. It’s an open race again, looks a hard card really with some very open races. Looking at the form he’s have to improve a little bit to be on the premises but hopefully it does and we can do something. You never know but a change in scenery could bring about some improvement and if it does, he might have a little chance. Saturday 6:15 Wolverhampton I ride Sleeper King for Mr Cumani here. I haven’t ridden this one before but I think it will only be his second run for Mr Cumani. I think he might have been with Kevin Ryan. It looks a very open race. He has a poor draw in stall 12 but hopefully we can overcome that and learn something about him. 7:15 Wolverhampton I’m aboard Rahmah for Robert Cowell in the maiden here. He’s been third 3 times in maidens. That kind of experience can count for a lot. I think we go there with a chance. You never know in these maidens, there looks to be some good trainers in there. The John Gosden colt (China Club) was fifth in a blanket finish when odds on favourite at Kempton so he’d definitely be a danger. But I’d be hoping my horse improves a little bit and is good enough to win that race. 7:45 Wolverhampton I ride Personal Opinion for Mr Appleby in the 7:45. All of Mr Appleby’s are running really well so hopefully he does as well. It looks open enough, but he has some form around Wolverhampton. He won his maiden there and followed that up with a win in a handicap. Hopefully the return to the All-Weather helps him bring back his old form. If he shows that he’s not without a chance. 8:15 Wolverhampton I’m on Thame Of Cawdor for Joesph Tuite in the Coral Handicap. He’s a trainer with a very high strike rate. He doesn’t have too many horses but he’s nearly won a race with all that he has so it always a big help with the stable is in good form. The horse won at Kempton a few starts back, he’s been mainly campaigned around Kempton but has ok form when he’s raced at Wolverhampton. I’d be more hopeful than confident but again I’m there doing my best and we’ll see how we get on. 8:45 Wolverhampton I ride Cherry Tiger for Graeme McPherson in another Coral Handicap. I rode this horse a couple of starts back. The race itself is quite poor. It’s a very low grade event but in saying that I think he’s going to have raise his game a bit to be involved, he’s definitely need to improve to win it. But again we’ll go there and hope he runs his race. 9:15 Wolverhampton In the final race of the night, I ride Buzz Law for John Weymes. I haven’t ridden this horse before but he seems to like finishing fifth. He looks pretty exposed so I’m going in there more hopeful rather than confident. He only ran a few nights ago at Kempton. I see he was rated 78 at one point and has come down to a mark of 49, so let’s hope he can recapture a little bit of form.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 16:00:59 +0000