Longroom groomed for success

● Wilson sprinter can maintain his winning form at Ayr

Longroom returned to form with a bang at Ripon last month and can carry on the good work in the feature race at Ayr today, the Bet At racinguk.com Handicap over five furlongs with £15,000 in prizemoney.

Noel Wilson’s sprinter comfortably defeated African Friend by two and a quarter lengths last time out and has only been raised 5lb for that success. The six-year-old is not badly handicapped on the pick of his form and with confi- dence buoyed he should prove hard to beat in a field which is headed by top weight Line Of Reason, trained by Paul Midgley and ridden by Joe Fanning. Jim Goldie’s Oriental Lilly is another who looks dangerous with Jamie Gormley riding.

The opening contest is the Longines Irish Champions Weekend EBF Stallions Novice Stakes run over six furlongs.

This type of race at Ayr usually attracts some runners from top yards and Kevin Ryan,tim Easterby, Keith Dalgleish and Mark Johnston are all represented.

Dirchill can defy 9st 13lb in the Wise Betting At racinguk. com Handicap. The four-year- old, trained by David Barron, has run some good races in defeat this season and is worth another chance in this weaker grade.

The Get Daily Tips At racinguk.com Handicap over a mile looks to be a perfect chance for Easterby’s Parys Mountain to follow up his recent York win.

The highlight of yesterday’s meeting at the track was the eyecatching run of Ventura Knight to win the Argyll Holidays: Why Go Further? mile handicap under PJ Mcdonald.

This Mark Johnston-trained colt had won at Hamilton five days earlier and is on an upward curve.