WITH Irish stables basking in their success on the Irish Champions Weekend card, it’s a quiet weekend on the flat but Ger Lyons is striking while the yard are in hot form and Irish interest on the Ayr card centres on his dual winning juvenile filly Head Mistress who represents Glenburnie in the Group 3 Virgin Bet Firth Of Clyde Fillies’ Stakes (3.05).
Gary Carroll has gone over and also picked up a ride in the Gold Cup on Venturous for David Barron.
The Profitable filly landed a Curragh listed race last time out and although this is competitive with 15 fillies engaged, it’s a good opportunity for more blacktype.
Lyons runners in Britain are rare enough these days - this will be just his third runner to go across the Irish Sea this season so Head Mistress is bound to attract attention in the morning markets.
Conundrum
The feature six-furlong Ayr Gold Cup is a near impossible conundrum and has Group 1 winners like Lochsong, Regal Parade and Brando on its roll of honour along with two 28/1 shots in recent years.
The hat-trick seeking Great Ambassador is clear at the head of the market and along with Popmaster give Ed Walker a formidable hand.
The trainer of top-class sprinter Starman hope to add one of the most prestigious sprint handicaps of the season.
A close-up third in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood earlier in the season, the four-year-old favourite has since impressed in handicap company at Newmarket and then in the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York – which earned him a 5lb penalty.
Rain is expected overnight and yesterday’s Bronze Cup was dominated by low drawn horses on the far side, won from stall four by Call Me Ginger. Great Ambassador breaks from stall one with Commanche Falls alongside in two.
Walker said this week: “We’ve targeted Great Ambassador at a few of these big races this year, and it hasn’t worked out for one reason or another.
“We’re under no illusions how much luck is required, and he’s actually a pound wrong at the weights. He went up 4lb for winning at York, but carries a 5lb penalty.
Great Ambassador has already gone up more than a stone in the weights since joining Walker from Ralph Beckett’s yard.
“I never really thought he’d develop into such a good sprinter – but he’s got bags of speed, and I don’t think we’ve got to the bottom of him yet,” Walker added.
Popmaster turns out a fortnight after an impressive win at Ascot under Ryan Moore with Hollie Doyle taking over in the saddle and with the application of blinkers.
Walker said: “Ryan’s advice after at Ascot was that he wasn’t doing much in front, and putting the blinkers on was actually something I’d toyed around with at home. I think it will really help.
“He’s a good horse, Popmaster – and while I think he’ll be better again next year, I’m really looking forward to seeing him run.”
Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls has been saved for this by Michael Dods and the rain that came yesterday will be a help as he seeks a fifth victory in seven starts this season. He is in
“We just thought we’d give him a break after the Stewards’ Cup because he’d had a few hard races. He’s in good form,” said Dods.
THE Charles Byrnes-trained Turnpike Trip is an intriguing runner in the Close Brothers Cesarewitch Trial Handicap at Newmarket today (3:15).
The seven-year-old was last seen finishing a close second in the Ulster Cesarewitch last month when trained by Byrnes’s son Cathal. Off a mark of 79 on the flat, he remains potentially very well handicapped considering his last run over hurdles was a competitive and close up eighth off a mark of 140 in a Grade B contest at the Punchestown Festival.
He will be ridden by veteran jockey John Egan and this will be only Byrnes’s second runner since returning from a six-month suspension he was given in February for facilitating the doping of one of his runners in a race in 2018.
The favourite for the contest is Godolphin’s Live Your Dream, who was market leader for the Ebor at one stage but proved disappointing when beaten at odds-on last time out.
His trainer Saeed bin Suroor reported yesterday: “Live Your Dream is in good form and we are looking forward to running him. This race wasn’t run to suit him last time but we go again as he is doing well.
“He has won over an extended two miles this year so the trip (two miles and two furlongs) won’t be a problem. We have decided to put the cheekpieces on to change things up and see how he goes in them.”
Competitive ladies at Navan
NAVAN kicks of its jumps season today with a card of big fields and none more competitive than a ladies hurdle (1:45). Barry Fitzgerald sends out his mare Apple Crumble after she gained an impressive win in Kilbeggan last time out. Rochelle Murphy takes the mount. But with Gordon Elliott keen to kick on with the season back at the helm, Lisa O’Neill on Make My Heart Fly will have plenty of support while, Tecumseh Sherman has the benefit of Maxine O’Sullivan in the saddle.