Ayr form stands the test of time
Keep Busy follows hoofprints of mum
Racehorse breeding is something that fascinates me and I always look out for the progeny of horses who have impressed at Ayr in the past to see if their offspring enjoy similar success.
And at the track last Tuesday the daughter of a mare who holds the course record over five furlongs won the race in which her mum achieved that milestone 13 years ago- a real case of keeping it in the family!
Keep Busy followed in the hoof prints of Look Busy when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes, Listed Race for trainer John Quinn and jockey Jason Hart.
Sent off at cramped odds of 4-7 the 108 rated filly cruised into the race and hit the front a furlong out and won cosily by three quarters of a length from Irish raider Dickiedooda.
The near £27,000 first prize took Keep Busy’s earnings to more than £172,000 but she still has a way to go to top her mother’s total prize-money of £292,000 although she raced until she was six, so John Quinn’s filly still has plenty of time to surpass that.
Keep Busy finished a creditable fifth in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this month and holds entries into Group 2s – the Paddy Power Stakes at the Curragh and the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood plus the Group 1 Wooton Bassett Nunthorpe at York.
She is extremely talented but didn’t manage to grab that course record from her mother.
Tuesday’s time was 58.08 seconds compared to Look Busy’s record of 55.68 seconds achieved in 2008.
Overall it was a very strong renewal of the Land O’Burns with the second placed Dickiedooda rated 101, third placed Mid Winster at 83 and Wise Words, who was fourth, runs of 94.
All three of these horses are capable of winning before the summer is out.
Other highlights included another Ayr win for Tristan Davidson’s prolific six year-old mare Greengage who won the Ayrshire Cancer Support Handicap over 1m 5f with Jason Hart completing his double on the day.
This was Greengage’s third win at Ayr in 2021 and her fifth win from her last eight runs. Although she will be given another hike in the weights after Tuesday’s success I wouldn’t bet against her enjoying even more wins before the season is out.
A word for trainer Tristan Davidson who took his season’s tally to eight winners with Greengage’s success.
The fact he has only had 24 runners so far this season shows just how good he is with his small string of five Flat horses.
To achieve a 33 per cent strike rate so far is amazing. I always put a lot of faith in form shown by horses in two year-old races at Ayr so it won’t surprise you that I am recommending you follow St Andrew’s Castle who won the EBF Maiden Stakes last Tuesday at odds of 25-1 for Iain Jardine and jockey Midge Mullen.
The colt carried plenty of condition but still showed great strength to get up to win by a nose from Stromboli. He will come on for the run and could be winning again soon.