3 minute read
Maple Jack can defy a penalty in the Virgin Bet Handicap at Ayr for Julie Camacho and Graham Lee.
The lightly-raced sprinter bolted up over course and distance last week, earning a 7lb rise from the handicapper on Tuesday morning.
However, because entries for this race were made before his new assessment he has able to race with just a 5lb penalty, meaning technically he should have a couple of pounds up his sleeve.
To be fair, a 7lb rise was totally fair, as he absolutely sluiced home.
He had looked very well treated off a handicap mark of 65, but it had been a frustrating season for connections given he needs to get his toe in.
Hugely unlucky behind Call Me Ginger in June, he then ran poorly back at Ayr six weeks later but it was probably a case of a soft-ground horse going on fast ground once, but not fancying it again next time.
With cut in the ground and another 2lb knocked off, Maple Jack was thrown in on his two-year-old form, which saw him defeat the now 82-rated Ava Go Joe at level weights and he duly ran out an easy winner. There should still be more to come now the ground is in his favour.
It is fairly rare for Hollie Doyle to traipse up to Ayr midweek, but she is going to ride Radetsky Marsch in the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes for Archie Watson.
This son of Seahenge – who won the Champagne Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and who is standing in France, thus not having had many runners in the UK – was fine third to Striking Star on debut at Sandown.
The form of that race has not been tested, though the Charlie Appleby-trained winner did look in a different league.
However, Radetsky Marsch showed enough to suggest he would be winning somewhere soon.
Doyle has also picked up the ride on Jim Goldie's Ayr Poet in the Virginbet.com Handicap.
Usually ultra-consistent, he ran a rare bad race at Hamilton last time and it may be he has come to the end of his tether this season.
The fact Goldie has booked Doyle, though, suggests he does not transcribe to that view.
Michael Dods' First Greyed appreciated getting his toe in at Thirsk, running out an easy winner.
He has been put up 5lb ahead of the Virgin Bet Free Bets For Winners Handicap but it might not be enough to prevent him going in again.
When Michael Tabor forked out 340,000 guineas for Pussycat Eyes he probably would have been hoping to see her competing at Ascot or Newmarket at the end of her three-year-old season.
However, circumstances have meant she is having only her second ever run at Chelmsford in the chelmsfordcityracecourse.com Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
She is a half-sister to the speed-laden Roulston Scar, also trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, but it is no surprise to see this filly step up to seven furlongs.
Noted making late headway on her debut over six at Kempton, a big leap forward can be expected.
Ben Pauling has had a very productive spell of late and his Northern Bound can register a third win in his last four outings in the Langley Handicap Chase at Warwick.
Rainyday Woman can get back to winning ways in the Gascentre Blast EBF mares' Novices' Chase at Worcester.
SELECTIONS:
AYR: 1.15 Dundory, 1.50 Radetsky Marsch, 2.25 Ayr Poet, 3.00 MAPLE JACK (NAP), 3.35 First Greyed, 4.10 Martin's Brig, 4.45 Bobby Shaftoe, 5.15 City Vaults.
CHELMSFORD: 5.00 Sabah Al Ward, 5.30 Lady Lavina, 6.00 Pussycat Eyes, 6.30 Dors Toyboy, 7.00 Outside World, 7.30 Blairlogie, 8.00 Yagan, 8.30 Capla Blue.
THURLES: 2.00 Delightful, 2.35 Village Voice, 3.10 Fastman, 3.45 Bolero, 4.20 Saturn Five, 4.55 The Truant, 5.25 The Very Man.
WARWICK: 1.05 Sir Tivo, 1.40 Northern Bound, 2.15 Notnowlinda, 2.50 Kinondo Kwetu, 3.25 Flintstone, 4.00 Une De La Seniere.
WORCESTER: 2.06 Rainyday Woman, 2.41 Tom O'Roughley, 3.16 Ferret Jeeter, 3.51 Chives, 4.30 Red Happy, 5.05 Rare Edition, 5.40 Sawpit Sienna.
Double: Maple Jack and Radetsky Marsch.