The Paul Mulrennan Column: Legend has ideal opportunity

It’s been a busy week in terms of riding commitments but like everyone else I’ve been keeping a close eye on events at Royal Ascot, where a couple of the two-year-olds have impressed, namely Archie Watson’s Bradsell in the Coventry Stakes and Karl Burke’s Dramatised in the Queen Mary.

The latter appears to be a very fast filly, perhaps the perfect candidate to take on her elders in the Nunthorpe Stakes, although there’s also the option of the Lowther Stakes at York. She was the third winner in succession for Danny Tudhope; he’s a real classy rider.

One of the highlights of the week thus far was the St James’s Palace Stakes. Tuesday’s feature was a superb race to watch, with William Buick right at the top of his game aboard the 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus. We’ll all look forward to another Duel on the Downs at Goodwood should he lock horns with the unbeaten Baaeed.

I’ve been chipping away closer to home taking plenty of rides at Thirsk and Ripon, finding a few winners along the way. Mount Athos (James Tate) was one of those winners. He’s a nice big horse who has got looks and the size, so hopefully he can go on and progress further.

Unfortunately, Azure Blue was beaten by Khanjar at Ripon on Wednesday, but I take something positive from every ride, learning more about her for the future. She had only run a week earlier at Hamilton, with that track and ground suiting her better than Ripon. She will win more races.

Ayr stages a double-header this weekend, and I’d like to think that Asean Legend can take the opener on Friday evening. There isn’t a great deal standing out in the race and dropping back to a mile on better ground should suit. I rode him on debut at Haydock last September and this race is a suitable opportunity.

Jim Goldie’s horses are going through a positive spell, with Cosa Sara a winner at Hamilton on Wednesday, and it’s fair to say that all five of my rides for Jim have realistic winning chances. Grand Canal is perhaps the pick. He fended off Red Force One there last month and is crying out for this longer trip.

Yaaser is a lovely little horse. He’s firmly on the upgrade, winning very well over course and distance last time. He seeks the hat-trick from a 9lb higher mark in what is theoretically a weaker race.

The versatile Tommy G steps back up in trip, with Sound Of Iona, Classy Al, and Judgement Call (Linda Perratt) completing the full set.

Both Call Me Ginger and Be Proud – first and second in last year’s Bronze Cup at Ayr - are coming off good solid runs and showing clear signs of starting to come to the boil. Ginger was a keeping-on fifth at Hamilton, while Be Proud also finished fifth, in the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh. Both would appreciate the forecast rain.

Ed Walker’s horses are running well, so I’m pleased to be back aboard the filly Tenaya Canyon in the Listed Land O’Burns Stakes. I rode her there last year in the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint. She wasn’t beaten all that far, so must have some sort of a chance.

My other rides on Saturday are Diamond Dandy, Rishes Baar, Cardano and Milliemix.