Dalgleish equals best-ever monthly tally as Euro Nightmare wins at Ayr

Carluke trainer Keith Dalgleish had his 15th July winner, equalling his best monthly total, when Euro Nightmare won Ayr’s feature – the £14,500 Western House Handicap.

Jockey Graham Lee always had the three year-old 5-2 joint favourite handily placed over the one-mile, two-furlong trip and held off a late challenge from Weekend Offender to win by half a length.

Keith said: “That’s my 53rd winner of the year. Euro Nightmare is a genuine filly and battled on well to win.”

Jim Goldie is another Scottish trainer in form and Strong Steps gave him another Ayr success in the Sandylands Caravan Park Handicap at 17-2 in the hands of Paddy Mathers.

The opening novice stakes saw the only unraced horse of the five runners, the Kevin Ryan-trained New Show, a 7-1 chance, win cosily under Tom Eaves and he looks a highly promising colt.

There was also a very good performance from Dubawi Fifty, trained by Karen Mcclintock and ridden by Graham Lee, in the one-mile seven-furlong Parkdean Resorts Handicap. The horse had been off the track since December and this was his first ever run on turf.

The Richard Fahey-paul Hanagan combination have a great record at Ayr and continued it when Khelman, 8-1, won six furlong Sundrum Castle Holiday Park Handicap.

Perth, meanwhile, is gearing up for a double header, with Rock at the Races and Golf Perthshire Raceday today and tomorrow.

Baileys Concerto, a dual hurdle winner at Perth, bids to open his course account over fences in the feature this evening. Trained near Penrith by Dianne Sayer, the elevenyear-old faces seven rivals in the £14,000 Perth Audi Handicap Chase over three miles.

He has been second, third and fourth over fences at Perth and his trainer said: “He usually runs well at the track, and we also entered him for a race over 2m 4f on the second day. He has been fantastic since coming to us and Brian Hughes gets on really well with him.”

Gordon Elliott’s three-time course winner Russian Regent is one of five rides on the evening for crack Irish amateur Jamie Codd.

Borders-trained Glenn Na Ndochais is one of eight runners in the Perth Lodge Handicap Chase over 2m 4f. Hawick-based Alistair Whillans’ 11-year-old has two course and distance wins and is ridden by former champion conditional jockey Craig Nichol.