Final meeting at Ayr is in class of its own
Top Northern stables to appear in Tennent’s Raceday
The final meeting of 2018 at Ayr Racecourse is Tennent’s Raceday on Thursday with an exciting six race card.
The Caledonia Best Maiden Hurdle over two miles has attracted not only a big entry but also lots of intriguing horses.
Lucinda Russell will pick from four entries and whatever she runs will be worth noting.
One of her possible runners is Buddha Scheme who ran fourth in a national hunt flat race at the track on November 3 and could be the sort to improve over hurdles.
Lucinda is likely to have a few runners on the day – and more than likely a winner or two - and one I think will have a solid chance is Saint Freule who is set to run in the Wellpark Handicap Hurdle over 2m 5f with Blair Campbell riding.
A winner at Hexham last Wednesday, this is a horse Lucinda thinks a lot of and now he has broken his duck he could run up a sequence.
The 3m Loch Katrine Handicap Chase looks wide open but Geronimo ran a fair race to finish third in a similar contest at Hexham earlier in the month and it would be no surprise to see the Nick Alexander trained seven year- old go well again.
Trainer Rose Dobbin sends three time hurdle winner Jack Devine chasing for the first time in the Novices’ Chase and after his last hurdles win just over two weeks ago at Kelso he will strip fit and could give the Dobbin camp their first course winner of the current jumps season.
In the same race Donald McCain’s Uppertown Prince has some eyecatching hurdles form including a fourth place in a Grade 1 at Aintree back in April and if taking to the bigger obstacles is probably the one to be on with Brian Hughes in the plate.
The final race of 2018 at Ayr is the Magners Original Novices’ Hurdle where Manetti, who caught the eye at our last meeting running a brave race to be third, will be well fancied for the aforementioned Nick Alexander yard.
First race is at 12.45pm with the final contest due off at 3.30pm.