An apology, Whiskey wins at Newcastle and nine runners at Ayr’s March Meeting!

Mild again for now, due to turn wet and cold later.  I must start with an apology for my terrible tip at Kelso on Saturday, never been my strong point though I did expect much better from the horse.  Delighted with Whiskey on Ice getting off the mark at Newcastle on Tuesday, he finished a strongly run race off very well indeed to win easily.  Better be Definite didn’t really turn up at all, I suspect came too soon after a couple of runs on deep ground at Ayr.

And it’s back to Ayr tomorrow where the ground will currently be easing from the given description of soft. It is their two day March meeting and we hope to be busy with five horses declared tomorrow and four on Saturday, conditions will suit some better than others though my recent track record on which is patchy!

First up will be Jirko in the 14.20, a pleasingly small field of three with both the other runners trained by Russell / Scudamore partnership.  Jirko has been running consistently in defeat this season and tomorrow drops back in trip with a pair of cheek pieces on, he has a nice light weight and if he can get into a good rhythm with his jumping should put up a bold show – Bruce rides.

Lance les Des runs in the 15.20; he has been progressing nicely over hurdles and on paper has a decent chance tomorrow if he runs to form, albeit he has an expensive O’Neill / JP recruit to beat among others – Sean rides and 12 run.

Course and distance winner Platin Moon carries top weight in the 15.50; that was his penultimate start and since then ran very well in defeat at Musselburgh.  Ayr and soft ground seem to suit him well so he ought to be involved – Bruce rides and 7 run.

Coconut Splash is our runner in a competitive Punchestown Qualifier at 16.20; he has had minor wind operation since he last ran and is going to wear a visor for the first time as we attempt to find the key to a horse who has operated at a much higher level in the past.  Kit rides and 10 run.

Finally on Friday Benny’s Jenny makes her handicap and chasing debut in the 16.53, she also takes a big step up in trip.  She hasn’t shown much on her three hurdle starts but she won an Irish point to point and works well at home so hopefully fences might be the answer for her, she had a school round Musselburgh last week and went well.  Ground a big question mark for her but worth a go – Bruce rides and 6 run.

Back down the road to Ayr on Saturday and our first runner is course and distance winner Ballyfort in the 14.07.  He was disappointing last time and we blamed the ground that day, it was also a better and busier sort of race, should be more at home in the six runner field tomorrow and just hope the ground isn’t too holding for him – Bruce rides and 6 run.

Ginger Mail is another course and distance winner and he runs in the 15.20 off an increasingly attractive looking handicap mark, 12lb below his peak and 8lb below his last winning mark from January 2025.  For good reason as he has lost his form but we’ve probably not been very clever with him and we possibly identified the issue after his last run and are therefore very much hoping for better – Bruce rides and 8 run.

Ned Tanner was disappointing last time at Wetherby but he won this race last year and is now 2lb lower though the runner up that day, Dare to Shout, is 4lb lower.  Just like to see him run a nice race again as he’d been a model of consistency for several years prior to his last run – Sean rides and 6 run.

Finally L’Arme de Bonheur takes a big step up in trip for his handicap debut in the 16.30; I don’t really know why he hasn’t shown up better in his first hurdle races as he jumps well and was a good 2nd in a bumper, might have been the ground (similar this time) or the trip or a combination – if the former doesn’t stop him this time then he ought to run a much better type of race.  Bruce rides and 6 run.

After Ayr it will be the Buccleuch point to point on Sunday then down to Cheltenham, no runners but promises to be tremendous racing.