Axe can chop down Ayr rivals

Odds-on backers had their fingers burned when Axe Axelrod was beaten on his Hamilton debut but he can reward those who keep the faith at Ayr.

Connections went to 125,000 guineas to secure his services at the breeze-up sales in April and the fact he was so heavily supported for his racecourse introduction last month suggested he had been showing trainer Richard Fahey plenty on the gallops at Musley Bank.

Although the money went west, Axe Axelrod was far from disgraced in finishing second to a far more streetwise rival in Howzer Black and ran like he would improve considerably for the experience.

The Street Sense colt resurfaces in the ayrgoldcup.co.uk Novice Stakes and will likely need to get off the mark if he is to take up his entry in next month’s Gimcrack Stakes at York.

Last week’s course winner Jessie Allan goes for a repeat win in Division One of the QTS Ladies Night on 11 August Handicap over seven furlongs and will once again be ridden by George Downing. Jim Goldie’s mare takes on ten opponents including another horse with Ayr form, Naples Bay, trained by John Quinn and the mount of Jason Hart.

Although only seven runners go to post in the Get So Much More With Racing UK Handicap over 1m 2f at 4.40pm there are some good horses on show here, including the lightly raced Glasses Up, trained by Mike Smith, and Keith Dalgleish’s Universal Gleam.

The afternoon action ends with the Western House Hotel Apprentice Handicap at 5.10pm in which Marjorie Fife’s Luv U Whatever looks an interesting contender.