Elite sport resumes as racing returns at Ayr
● Nine-race card headlined by first Listed event of the season in Scotland
Ayr stages Scotland’s first race meeting and the country’s first elite sports event since lockdown today with a ninerace card behind closed doors headlined by the first Listed race of the season in Scotland – the EBF Land O’ Burns Fillies’ Stakes.
Trainer Michael Dods has a strong hand in this with two runners–queamorowhowas second in a similar type of race at last year’s Ayr Gold Cup Festival and Queens Gift who has run well in Listed Class in the past. The horses are ridden by Paul Mulrennan and Callum Rodriguez respectively.
Queens Gift was a dual handicap winner last year, and she roundedoffthecampaignwith two excellent placed efforts behind Judicial and Equilateral, who certainly gave the form a huge boost when finishing second in the King’s Stand Stakes at Ascot.
She returned to action earlier this month in the Palace House Stakes, turning in a great effort in her first try in Group Three company, finishing fifth behind Far Above. Beaten just two and a half lengths, a repeat of that performance would be more than good enough to take this prize.
Jockey Kevin Stott, who rode a big race double at Royal Ascot on Saturday, rides Dandy’s Beano for in- form trainer Kevin Ryan while there are two Irish raiders in the field – American Lady from the Fozzy Stack yard and Allez Sophia, trained by Paddy Twomey. Leading Scottish trainer Keith Dalgleish saddles Ventura Flame.
The main supporting race is the Class 2 Jordan Electrics
Handicap over 1m 2f and the top weight in this is David O’meara’s Tinandali having his first run for the yard since being bought out of the Dermot Weld stable in Ireland.
Course specialist Nicholas T, who has won six races at the track, lines up for trainer Jim Goldie and jockey Stott .
The Dalgleish-trained Volatile Analyst is a fascinating contender in the Jordan Electrics Novice Stakes.
A winner on his debut at this track last July, he has not run since finishing an excellent fourth behind Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde in the Richmond Stakes last August.
He outran his sizeable odds that day and was not beaten far, suggesting there could be plenty more to look forward to this term.
Wentworth Falls is another to have turned in a fair effort since racing resumed and he can kick on again in the QTS Investors In Sport Handicap.
His one-and-a-half-length reverse behind Oxted on his final start at the end of last year now reads very well indeed, given that one is July Cup bound, and his initial fourth at Newmarket should have brought him on nicely.
The action is due off at 1.40pm with the QTS Training Maiden Stakes over six furlongs.
Meanwhile, Alan King is in no rush to commit Who Dares Wins to future targets after he completed a Royal Ascot treble for the yard on Saturday.
The Scots-born trainer may be better known for his exploits in the National Hunt sphere, but enjoyed an unforgettable week at Flat racing’s showpiece meeting – with the Queen Alexandra success of Who Dares Wins adding to the triumphs of Coeur De Lion in the Ascot Stakes and Scarlet Dragon in the Duke of Edinburgh.
“It’s been an amazing week,” said the Barbury Castle handler. “I haven’t been at Ascot myself but we’ve played hard, that’s for sure!” The remarkable Who Dares Wins now has a Royal Ascot success on a CV that also includes victory in the Northumberland Plate, a Grade Two win over hurdles and a Grade Two win over fences.
“I was absolutely delighted with the old boy. He’s not the kind of horse that goes and wins by a long way as he only ever does enough, which is probably why he’s lasted so long,” King added.
“We thought he had a very good chance on Saturday with the way conditions were, so there was a bit of pressure on. It was great to see him go and do the job.
“I’m not sure what we’ll do with him now. The Northumberland Plate is this coming Saturday, so that’s too soon. Is he handicapped to win a Cesarewitch? I’m not sure.
“We’ll see how he is in the next week or so and I’m sure Henry [Ponsonby, owner] will have something in mind.”