The jockey's title battle between Jim Crowley and Silvestre De Sousa is great for racing and adds real interest to the final six or seven weeks of the season.

I really wouldn’t advise anyone to have a bet on it. There’s no value and it really is a toss of the coin job as to who wins.

I think it will come down to suspensions in the end. Both will be taking as many rides as they can, giving absolutely everything, which makes them more prone to picking up a ban.

I would be delighted for either to win. I have known Silvestre since he came over to the UK and see him most days, given we’re both based in the north, while I knew Jim when he was a Jumps jockey. He was based at Sue and Harvey Smith’s and my wife Adele used to work there.

I am a bit off their pace in sixth position but a top-three finish would be very nice. At the time of writing, I am three wins off Oisin Murphy, who lies in third. I must take my hat off to my agent Richard Hale, who I have been with for 13 years and does a fantastic job and his good work has resulted in rides such as Markaz, whom I won on in Germany on Sunday.

I actually finished second but was awarded the race after the first past the post was placed behind the fourth home, Watchable, after taking him all the way across to the stand rail.

The winner also nearly wiped me out at the start, but that wasn’t a factor in the stewards’ decision and otherwise I was unaffected. The rules are very straightforward there and if a horse causes interference he will be placed behind the affected horse.

Of course it’s not the ideal way to win a race and in fact the same thing happened on my only other trip to Baden Baden, where I was leading up Emma Peel back in 1999. She was awarded the race in the stewards’ room for Brian Meehan and John Egan.

Markaz is a full brother to Mecca’s Angel so it was a nice story for me, and it was another feather in the cap for their sire Dark Angel, who is all the rage as a stallion. I have never sat on a Dark Angel progeny who doesn’t have the right attitude. I think Markaz will be off to stud soon so I was delighted to win a Group Three and Group Two on him for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

I have a full book of eight rides at Thirsk today and it’s difficult to pick out the stand-out ride.

Swirral Edge might be my best chance in the Simon & Topsy Barton Handicap. She won very nicely over course and distance ten days ago and is drawn well in 10 of 10.

Of the others Organza has a good opportunity to break her duck in the EBF Stallions Jenny Roberts Original British Millinery Maiden Fillies' Stakes. It looks a weak maiden and the first-time visor is interesting, plus Mick Channon’s horses are in decent form.

Another with first-time headgear is Dream On Dreamer, who runs in the Market Cross Jewellers Nursery Handicap. She’s been second on her last two outings and would be no surprise to see her get her head in front.

The big race of the day is the 32 Red Sprint Cup at Haydock. I will be interested to see how Limato gets on following his second to Mecca’s Angel at York, but I have a sneaky feeling for Dancing Star.

She looked like a top-notch sprinter when taking the Stewards’ Cup and Franny Norton has enjoyed success with Andrew Balding and Jeff Smith in the past.

Franny is riding better than ever and it would be great to see him get his first Group One winner at his local track.

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