HORSE RACING
Ayr Racecourse stages an eight race card behind closed doors on Monday, belatedly getting the 2021 action under way at the track after the abandonment of scheduled fixtures on January 2 and 6.
The richest race of the afternoon is the final contest of the afternoon, the Watch On Racing TV Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
A large field is expected for this and one horse attempting to make it two wins from two starts is the Nick Alexander trained Travail D’Orfevre who made a winning debut in a bumper at the track in November.
Nick told me afterwards he thought this was once of the best young horses he’d ever trained and there will eb a lot of stable confidence in him on Monday.
The larger than normal prize- money for a bumper will ensure there are runners from top southern yards and I think we’ll see Olly Murphy, Fergal O’Brien and Dan Skelton represented.
Nicky Richards could also run Nells Son who won a lower grade bumper at Ayr last month.
Strong Economy, who stormed to an emotion charged victory at the track on December 14 just days after his co- owner Barry Macdonald had tragically died, is likely to line up in the Retraining Of Racehorses ( RoR) Handicap Chase over 3m 2f 197y.
This will be the furthest the nine yearold gelding has ever tackled but given the nature of his win over three miles last time out he should get the trip.
The run of Mike Smith’s East Harlem on his first appearance under rules at Ayr last month really caught the eye.
He was second albeit 28 lengths behind the highly rated Wetlands but he was staying on and the 2m 4f 110y of the EBF National Hunt Maiden Hurdle should be right up his street.
I expect Ryan Mania to take the ride and advise an interest.
The Ayrshire Cancer Support Patient Transport Novices’ Hurdle over 3m 70y was a highly competitive affair last year when Gordon Elliott sent Escaria Ten over from Ireland to plunder the prize.
That horse has won again as have four of his six rivals that day and there’s every reason to believe there will be some likely sorts on show again.
Leading jockeys including Brian Hughes, Sean Quinlan, Conor O’Farrell and Danny McMenamin are likely to be in action.
The first race is due off at 12.25pm with the valuable bumper coming under starter’s orders at 4.05pm