Call on Al for an Ayr winner in Stakes

Al Husn can provide trainer Roger Varian with a third victory in the last six runnings of the Tennent’s Lager British Stallion Studs EBF Rothesay Stakes at Ayr tomorrow.

The Newmarket handler claimed the Listed prize with Nezwaah in 2017 and Shenanigans two years later, and will have high hopes of striking Scottish gold once more with another upwardly mobile filly.

After being beaten in her first two races, Al Husn rattled off four successive wins and was unbeaten in three outings last season.

The daughter of Dubawi made her reappearance in the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month and while no match for the brilliant winner Via Sistina, she was best of the rest in second and can only strip fitter for the run.

With a return to 10 furlongs and a sounder surface both in her favour, Al Husn will take some stopping.

Ventura Rascal has won at Ayr before and should go well again in the Whitley Neill Handicap. The six-yearold is only a pound higher in the weights than when finding the target here a couple of years ago and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his comeback fourth at Pontefract.

Ventura Rascal raced on the speed that day before weakening late on and given it was his first outing since September and his first since undergoing wind surgery he could improve significantly.

The excellent recent form of trainer Kevin Ryan’s string breeds further confidence that he will be ready to run up to his very best.

Johnny Murtagh’s Irish raider Theophilos looks the answer to the Absolut Vodka Handicap. The four-year-old won with more in hand than the official winning margin of a length and a quarter might suggest at Tipperary last month and while an 11lb higher mark looks steep on the face of it, Murtagh would not be sending him to Scotland if he did not think he was up to the task.

At Liberty is of clear interest in the Moulton Nurseries Handicap at Yarmouth.

Michael Bell’s charge is a previous winner at the Norfolk circuit and has also finished second twice form just four course starts, so he clearly likes the place.

He was well held on his first start of 2023 at Bath, but levelled up when a creditable third at Nottingham last month on ground softer than ideal. Quickening conditions will certainly help him as he returns to a happy hunting ground and he is certainly capable of making his presence felt from his current perch of 70.

Happy Tears may be able to make it third time lucky for George Boughey in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.