A busy weekend at Ayr & Carlisle

A fine autumn day, settled weather again and drying up here at home and on the racecourses.  Watering back on the menu at Carlisle, Hexham, Newcastle and Kelso.  We are hoping it will be lovely good to soft ground at Ayr tomorrow where we have nine declared runners on what understandably looks a popular and competitive card.

We start with stable and hurdling debutant Jackson Court in the novice hurdle at 12.43; he’s a lovely horse who works well, schools well and won his last point to point prior to us acquiring him at Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in April.  He’s had a straightforward preparation and I hope he will acquit himself well in what looks like a highly competitive race of its type.  We will certainly learn more – Dom rides and 8 run.

Next up is Jirko in the staying handicap chase at 13.18; he ran some great races in defeat over course and distance last season and ought to go well back from a decent break off what looks like a competitive mark – Bruce rides and 12 run.

We run The G Wizard in the feature staying handicap hurdle at 13.53; we were delighted with his 3rd when stepped up in class at Perth last month, that form has worked out well so he shoudl be involved in what looks like a select but competitive field – Bruce rides and 7 run.

We are then double handed in the middle distance handicap chase at 14.28 with chasing debutant Cavalier du Luy (Bruce) and My Kiwi Girl (Kevin Brogan); Cavalier was lightly campaigned over hurdles last season but showed plenty of ability, he’s a winning pointer and schools well so ought to progresss over fences this season.

Kiwi looked highly promising over hurdles in the 2024/25 season and had plenty of excuses for losing her form completely last season.  Hopefully those problems are behind her and she can fulfill her early potential. It is a shame to run two of our brightest prospects against each other but as ever I feel obliged to look through the prism of every horse as an individual to ensure we do the best for them. 10 run.

Ginger Mail is our representative in the 2m handicap hurdle at 15.03; he has come down a whopping 18lb since he ran in the 3m race on this card a year ago and has run very well at this fixture over two miles in the past.  He’s had minor wind surgery this autumn and seems in great form – Bruce rides and 11 run.

Course winner Platin Moon makes his chasing debut in the 2m novice chase at 15.37; this is a good little race but he schools well and on hurdle form would be competitive – Bruce rides and 6 run.

Finally we are double handed in the staying handicap hurdle at 16.10 with course and distance winner Better be Definite (Bruce) and Anamanda (Dom).  Both seem in very good order and ought to give a good account; BBD is 7lb higher than when he won here in February but should be capable of further progress, Anamanda is slipping down the weights and has the added benefit of Dom’s 7lb claim – I would expect her to leave her poor form last time at Perth behind her – 12 run.

On to Carlisle on Sunday where we have one runner on an excellent looking card, the ground should be on the easy side of good and course winner takes a major step up in class to run in The Cumberland Chase at 15.33.  A big ask first time out but he seems in particularly good order so I felt it was worth rolling the dice for an excellent prize – Kevin Brogan rides and 8 run.

We were pleased with 4 of our 5 Kelso runners last week; Royal March made a nice debut to finish 4th, Oor Wish took a major step forward to be 3rd, Suspected was just getting involved in the race when he slipped on landing two out and unshipped Bruce, Ballyfort ran an excellent race to fill the runner up slot for the third consecutive time.  The disappointment was Maillot Blanc but a little issue came to light during the week that probably explains his performance so we have treated that and will hopefully run better next time.

Have a great weekend everyone!