Local jockey wins at Royal Ascot

After the race he told reporters: “They went a good gallop and this horse is clearly improving all the time. He’s run four times in about four weeks, so he clearly loves his racing.

“I was travelling really well a furlong and a half out and I wanted to try and come between horses.

“It worked out well as I wasn’t too crowded but I could get a run at the same time. To be fair to the horse, when he hit the front he picked up by himself. It’s my first winner here and I was born in the hospital just across the road, so it’s nice.”

He had ridden plenty of winners over jumps at Ascot, for Crowley started successfully in National Hunt racing before switching to the Flat. It has been a highly successful move, for his strike rate has been consistently good.

Since 2007 when his number of Flat wins was 92, he has always passed the 100 mark, and in his best season he achieved 120 winners.

He is married to Guy Harwood’s youngest daughter, Lucinda, and has ridden many times for his sister-in-law Amanda Perrett, whenever his retained commitments alloweds.

Harry Bentley (18) enjoyed riding at Royal Ascot for the first time last week.

The young Storrington apprentice, who has his licence with Gary Moore at Lower Beeding, Horsham, was on board the Roger Charlton-trained Proponent, finishing in a respectable mid-field position in a big field in the prestigous Royal Hunt Cup. He went on to ride in the Britannia Stakes, Buckingham Palace Stakes and Wokingham Stakes and said: “ I feel very privileged to have been riding at Royal Ascot.”

He made headlines earlier this year when he swiftly reached his ten winner mark following several victories, including a double on one day, in Dubai.

For full story and more equestrian news see Sussex Horse World, West Sussex Gazette, June 22