New Year card fills notebook
There were stars aplenty on show at Ayr Racecourse’s New Year Raceday last Thursday with at least four names going into my notebook for the coming months.
Trainer Nicky Richards was positively drooling over the performance of Marown in the maiden hurdle that started the card and this is definitely a young horse destined for the very top.
Nicky confessed that the six year- old hated the heavy ground and will be even more impressive on better ground.
He also said his future lay in chasing but he will contest more hurdle races over the coming months.
The Warren Greatrex trained Portrush Ted was coming back from a 17 month absence yet still had more than enough in the tank to see off his rivals in the 2m 5f handicap hurdle.
He jumped superbly throughout and delighted his owner Max McNeill who was spending a few days at Turnberry and flew to the track form the resort in his helicopter.
A lot will depnd on how the horse comes out of the race but if he is fit and well I expect another handicap will be found for him in a month or so before connections make firm plans fopr some of the bigger pots later in the season.
He won a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree in 2018 and is clearly a talented individual.
Max stayed around to watch his
Champagnesuperover totally pummel the opposition in the bumper and this horse, named after England’s famous World Cup cricket win last summer, is a really exciting prospect.
His jockey Adrian Heskin never moved a muscle as the five year- old galloped his rivals into submission without breaking sweat.
I don’t think I’ve seen an easier winner of a bumper at Ayr in my 17 years at the track and when you think I’ve witnessed Sprinter Sacre winning here that says a lot.
My fourth one to watch from last Thursday is Endlessly who provided champion jockey Richard Johnson with a winner in the novices’ hurdle race.
This horse has won twice on the Flat and improved on his only previous run over hurdles.
I think his future lies in handicaps and he could develop into a very good two mile hurdler.
As I say my notebook is bulging after last Thursday.