Ayr meeting drains away

Ayr has cancelled its twoday meeting later this month due to ongoing drainage work at the track. The British Horseracing Authority announced yesterday that the fixtures scheduled for 29-30 April will not take place at Ayr because “areas of the Flat track are not raceable”.

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson said: “As part of a programme of ongoing investment, we have been carrying out drainage work in the home straight for the long-term good of the track following issues in recent years.

“We have a relatively short window to complete major works – and unfortunately with unseasonably low temperatures in the past few weeks, it has meant the course has not recovered at the rate we would like. Naturally, we are hugely disappointed that areas of our Flat track will not be raceable for our fixtures at the end of April. But human and equine welfare is paramount, and we will never seek to compromise safety in order to achieve a quick fix or outcome.”

Meanwhile, Royal Marine can make a success of his retrievalmissioninthebet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket today. Saeed bin Suroor’s colt was all the rage for his Dubai expedition in January but he trailed in a well-beaten fourth.

Three months on from that UAE Guineas Trial and Royal Marine puts his credentials on the line in the Craven. and he will be at tempting odds to beat likely favourite Zakouski, in the same ownership.