Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips and Preview – DS
Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips
I’m not sure why the ITV cameras won’t be at Ayr on Friday. It is a cracker of a card with big fields aplenty and a couple of decent Listed races. My confidence was at rock bottom after last weekend’s shitshow but after picking out a 25/1 winner (which I didn’t back) at Naas today, a little bit of self-belief has returned. So, it is back into the breach we go once more. Western Meeting Ayr Friday tips are below.
1.25 – Fillies’ Nursery Handicap (Class 4)
The one that stands out as being overpriced in this nursery is Iato’s Angel. Trained by Keith Dalgleish, this daughter of Footstepsinthesand is 1/5 so far. Her maiden win came over 6f at Hamilton but I would argue her run over 6f at this track previously was even better. In that race Callum Rodriguez was pushing along earlier than most of his rivals but she picked up really well in the last 100 yards and in the end, she finished a very good 3rd.
The winner of that contest was Marshman and he has since gone on to win another novice by 8L and finish 2nd in the Gimcrack. He is now rated 115. The runner up, Ludo’s Landing, won a handicap off 76 last month and then went close off 79. The 4th hasn’t won yet but he is rated 81 now after a string of solid efforts in Novice company.
The horse she beat into 2nd at Hamilton went very close in a valuable handicap at Doncaster off 82 last week. With all those things considered, surely Iato’s Angel is more than fairly treated off 74. Yes, she has been beaten in two handicaps but on the evidence of her run at Ayr and her win, 7f should suit. At odds of 22/1, she is the each way selection.
Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips: Iato’s Angel e/w @ 22/1 (4 places B365) NB
2.00 – EBF Nursery Handicap (Class 2)
Adrian Keatley likes to target the Western Meeting and his two runners here yesterday both finished decent 4ths. He has the rag here in Honour Your Dreams and the return to this venue could spark a revival. This son of Dream Ahead has been kept busy this season and after a bright start at Thirsk and Ripon when placed, a poor run at York saw connections send their colt for a gelding operation.
On his return to action a few weeks later he ran okay in a class 2 conditions race at Beverley. Then, he finally got off the mark at the fifth time of asking in an Ayr maiden (6f gd). The runner up that day has since won at Ascot off 81. The 3rd won at Goodwood off 76 (re-opposes today off 1lb worse terms and is fav). Honour Your Dream has had just one handicap run, finishing last off 77 after being hampered at Haydock on ground too soft.
Last time he wasn’t disgraced in the Hornblower at Pontefract and he returns to the scene of his best run off a mark of 75. Conditions should be identical and if he repeats the level of form he showed when winning that maiden here, Honour Your Dreams could sneak into the frame at 33/1.
Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips: Honour Your Dreams e/w @ 33/1
2.35 – Harry Rosebery Stakes (Listed)
In 2020 Declan Carroll ran First Company in this race and he ran a huge race in 3rd. He was 250/1 that day and while Seantrabh isn’t as big as that, he showed enough speed on his debut at York over 5.5f to suggest he was well worth a shot at this. Carroll’s charge went to the front at York, travelled strongly and then quickened a couple of lengths clear. It was only in the last 75 yards that he gave way and he ended up in 3rd, beat less than 2L. If that race was over the minimum trip, he’d be coming here on the back of a win.
He now drops back to 5f and that should really suit him. It looks the right move on pedigree too. This colt is by Tasleet and he is out of a Dream Ahead dam who is a half to speedy dual Listed winner Fort De Oro. His grand dam was a top class 2yo who won the Queen Mary so he is bred for this job. Admittedly, this is a big step up in class on his second start but it doesn’t look like the strongest ever renewal of this race and he is the least exposed horse in this field. At odds of 16/1, Seantrabh is the each way selection.
Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips: Seantrabh e/w @ 16/1
3.10 – Scottish Sprint Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
Given Karl Burke’s record in this race, it would be foolish to discount any of his three contenders. It is hard to know which one is the no.1 as Danny Tudhope always rides Clipper Logistics’ horses. Cliff Lee rides Guilded, which would suggest she is ahead of Lullaby Bay in the pecking order. Guilded has already won a Listed contest here and she wasn’t disgraced in this grade at Doncaster last time. However, that wasn’t the best of Listed races she scored in and I’m instead going to take a punt on Illustrating.
This filly’s 2yo form was far better than either of her stablemates. Her best effort came on her final start of the season in the G3 Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket when she chased home Twilight Jet (with Guilded a short head behind in 3d). She is now 3lbs better off with her stablemate and after two runs over 6f and 7f, this drop back in trip could be just what the doctor ordered.
Her last run over 5f saw her run a very decent race in the Scurry at Sandown, 3L behind Mitbaahy. She was only 1.25L behind Caturra, since a close 3rd in the G2 Qatar Stakes at Goodwood. I think a repeat of that run would surely be enough to challenge for place money here and at odds of 25/1, Illustrating is the each way selection.
Western Meeting Ayr Friday Tips: Illustrating e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
3.45 – Ayr Bronze Cup (Class 2)
We backed Chookie Dunedin in this race last season and he ran an absolute blinder off 76. Yes, his best recent form has come over 7f but he was only beat 2L in this last year and he is now a pound lower. This horse would be a dream to own. He has won an incredible 13 races and it seems that he absolutely loves the game. It feels like he has been around for years but he is still only a 7yo and as his three wins this year show, he retains plenty of ability.
His win here over 7f in May ensured he’d be on a high enough mark to get a run in this race. Dalgleish then freshened him up after a below par run here in July. An outing at Thirsk (7f sft) last week should have blown away any cobwebs and that spin looked like a prep run. Ryan Sexton takes off 5lbs so he is effectively racing off 6lbs lower than in the 2021 renewal. He is drawn 21 but he has plenty of pace around him so hopefully he gets a good tow into the race. He should be finishing off stronger than most, hopefully he gets there in time to nick some place money at least at odds of 33/1.
