Goldie and Mathers at the double to keep Ayr punters happy
Jim Goldie was the man in form at Ayr Racecourse last night saddling a double to keep his followers happy.
Oriental Lilly showed improved form to collar Poet’s Magic and win the Weddings Atwesternhousehotelhandicap under jockey Paddy Mathers at generous odds of 25-1.
And Goldie was back in the winners’ enclosure just over an hour later when 4-1 chance Sound Of Iona battled away inside the final furlong to get the better of favourite Stars In The Night and win the Microtech
Odds On For IT Support Handicap by a head with Mathers also notching his double.
The jockey said: “Since I started riding again after lockdown things have been going well and Jim [Goldie] has been a great supporter alongside Richard Fahey and Mike Smith.
“Both my winners tonight were game and stayed on all the way to the line. Jim’s horses are in good fettle and I’m chuffed for him.”
Ayrshire-born jockey Danny Tudhope was also in double form on his home track with Prompting, the 5-2 favourite, winning the Scotty Brand Handicap over seven furlongs and Dick Datchery springing a 20-1 surprise in the Jordan Electrics Handicap.
Borders-based trainer Alistair Whilllans saddled A Boy Named Ivy to win the opening novice stakes under Kevin Stott at 20-1 and Mark Johnston and Jason Hart teamed up to land the QTS In the Community Handicap with Royal Big Night at 15-2.
Favourite backers had something to cheer about in the last when Champagne Terri won at 11-8 for Adrian Keatley and Ben Curtis.
At Yarmouth today, Mister Snowdon should find the Free Tips Daily On attheraces.com Handicap an easier assignment than his recent Royal
Ascot outing. The three-yearold has won two of his three starts, with his only defeat coming when upped to Group Three company in the Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs.
A 66-1 shot at the big meeting, Richard Hughes’ charge is probably better judged on his two wins – one on debut as a strong favourite at Wolverhampton in March and his surprise defeat of hot favourite Enemy at this track last month.
Expectations for Portrush were always going to be high as a Frankel half-sister to Enable and while she was beaten on her debut, it was a far from disappointing effort at Newbury.
The winner, Gold Wand, was an odds-on favourite and thought good enough to tackle the Oaks subsequently, so Portrush’s length-and-a-half beating offers plenty of hope for better things to come, starting in the Download The At The Races App Maiden Stakes.