Favourite Titi Makfi won’t get it all her own way in Ayr feature
The £50,000 Tennnent’s British Stallion Studs EBF Rothesay Stakes, a Class 1 Listed race, tops the bill at Ayr on Tennent’ Raceday today, with eight runners going to post.
Titi Makfi, trained by Mark Johnston and the mount of PJ Mcdonald, has already won a Listed race on the all-weather at Kempton last November and carries a 3lb penalty as a result and while she has plenty of ability she could be made to work hard by several of her opponents.
Kevin Ryan’s horses are in good form and Company Asset’s second in a Listed Race in France last October would give her a chance in this. Stable jockey Tom Eaves takes the mount.
Another horse with a strong cliam is Jet Streaming, who was trained by Adrian Keatley in Ireland last year .
After winning a competitive handicap at the Galway Festival,thefour-year-old waspretty reasonably tried.
Pitched into Group 3 company at Newmarket last autumn, she acquitted herself well in fifth but could not build on that in a final attempt at Listed success last October.
Transferred to Ian Williams’ care over the winter, Jet Streaming turned in a promising debut for her new team when fifth at Goodwood earlier this month, giving herself far too much to do after missing the break.
It is to her credit she made up some ground, but Jet Streaming should at least be sharper for the experience, while a drop back to 10 furlongs may also play to her strengths.
Another one to note is Andrew Balding’s Wingingit.
The main support race on the card is the five-furlong Guinness Handicap and the fiverunner field in this is headed by Powerallied, trained by Richard Fahey and the mount of two-time champion jockey Paul Hanagan.
Powerallied is opposed by Elysian Flyer, who hit the bar on his recent return to action.
The six-year-old finished best of all in a five-furlong apprentice heat, showing plenty of dash to be beaten just over a length off his lowest-ever mark of 75.
The handicapper clearly liked what he saw as Elysian Flyer has subsequently gone up 3lb, but even with that extra little chunk, Elysian Flyer remains some way below his highest perch.
Yesterday, the Conferences at Ayr Racecourse Handicap over six furlongs, the feature race of the opening Flat meeting of 2018, was won by Irish raider Plough Boy (4-1), trained in County Dublin by Garvan Donnelly and ridden by Ben Curtis. Another Irishtrained winner was John Honeyman (7-2 fav) in the one mile two furlongs handicap – a first winner in the UK for 16 yearold jockey Ben Coen, who got the day off school to take the ride for trainer Adrian Keatley.
At Yarmouth today, Legends Of War goes in the the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.
He cost 900,000 guineas at the breeze ups in April, so connections will likely be hoping to see a swift return on some of that money.
Trained by John Gosden, this son of Scat Daddy is a fascinating contender amongst a field of largely newcomers.
In contrast, Daring Guest is much more of an open book but is still worth plenty of consideration in the ROA/ Racing Post Owners Jackpot Handicap at the seaside track in Norfolk.