3 minute read

It's on the bucket list but we've never made it to Ayr to see the actual race.

The nearest was on a train to and from Newbury with a Scottish buck's party where we learnt a lot of interesting variations on traditional Scottish ballads.  Newbury of course is also racing on Saturday.

Firstly to Ayr and the G3 Firth of Clyde for 15 2yo fillies over 1200m.  The market is headed by Head Mistress on 3/1 for Ger Lyons and Gary Carrol and Hala Hala Athmani for the Kevins – Ryan and Stott – on 11/2.  We are talking 2yo fillies where anything can happen so feel free to put whatever you like into the multiples and good luck!

The Ayr Gold Cup is over 1200m and there will be a great field of 24 lining up here.  Great Ambassador tops the market on 9/2 for Ed Walker and Richard Kingscote and then we are swinging quite wide with Gulliver 14/1, Fivethousandtoone 25/1 and Sunday Sovereign 20/1 and very good luck with this one.

At Newbury the Dubai World Trophy Stakes is G3 over 1000m with 8 to run.  Hurricane Ivor is in good form for William Haggas and Aussie Tom Marquand and is top of the market on 9/4.  Khaadem is 10/3 for Hills-Crowley and then we have Her Majesty's King's Lyn with Oisin Murphy riding on 7/2 and the same quote for Tis Marvellous.

The Legacy Cup, which used to be called the Arc Trial, is over 2200m and has 5 runners with Al Aasy odds-on for Haggas-Crowley and Foxes Tales on 3/1 for Balding – O Murphy.

The Mill Reef is G2 over 1200m and will see 10 runners compete over the 1200m.  Dhabab is 2/1 for the Gosdens with Robert Havlin riding, then Gubbass is on 7/2 and Gis A Sub 13/2.

News this week of the breaking up of the Shadwell empire although it is being called a business rationalisation.  Many horses will be sold and they have been absent from the sales where they usually go to purchase yearlings.  It will have quite an effect on the racing world as this was one of the biggest enterprises globally.