Racing: Goldie targeting double at Ayr

Published on 30/05/2012 03:32

JIM Goldie can enjoy a profitable afternoon at Ayr as he looks set for a double courtesy of Rothesay Chancer and Northern Fling.

The former takes his chance in the five-furlong Bet Mobile At BetVictor.com Handicap. While fully effective over six furlongs, as witnessed when finishing as well as anything at Ascot last time out, he has only won at the minimum trip.

Although 3lb higher for that effort, it is worth nothing he ran a screamer off 81 last season in a valuable handicap at Newmarket, where he would have finished closer than he did but for meeting trouble at a crucial stage. He seems best on goodish ground and Graham Lee keeping the ride is a definite plus, as he will know what he has underneath him for their second outing together on a racecourse.

The Goldie-trained Northern Fling was a first winner for former top jumps jockey Lee since turning his attentions to the Flat, and the pair team up again in the Play Casino At BetVictor.com Handicap. A useful tool a few years ago, he is not what he was but still has plenty to give on old ratings if he can build on that Musselburgh win.

Meanwhile, Musselburgh are using a carat and stick approach to lure the top stables to Saturday’s Totepool Edinburgh Cup meeting and boost attendance.

With £150,000 in prize money and a £5500 one carat diamond prize for the best-dressed race goer, the East Lothian course is going all out celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend festival.

Racecourse general manager Bill Farnsworth is delighted with the quality of entries, which he says could provide a right royal battle between north and south-based stables. In the £20,000 toteplacepot Edinburgh Castle Conditions Stakes – a prep race for two-year-old Royal Ascot candidates – 11 of the 14 entries have recorded wins this season and all will be looking to emulate last year’s winner, Frederick Engels, which followed up his Musseburgh victory with success in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

With 44 entries for the £40,000 totescoop6 Scottish Sprint Cup to be whittled down to 17, most of the major northern stables are competing for Musselburgh’s premier sprint handicap. And, in the feature race, the £50,000 totepool.com Edinburgh Cup, Newmarket’s finest includes entries from Saeed Bin Suroor, Michael Bell and Sir Mark Prescott, lining up against northern regulars Mark Johnston, Richard Fahey and Alan Swinbank.

Farnsworth said: “We have some great quality fields lined up for Saturday and, looking at the Edinburgh Cup, 16 of the 20 entries are proven winners, which underlines the quality of this race. This event traditionally features some excellent stayers who go on to great things, including the 2010 winner Harris Tweed, which is now preparing for a tilt at the Melbourne Cup. We can see a proper north/south divide in the entries but that is great news for racing fans, with a crowd of 7,000 expected.”

SELECTIONS

Ayr

2.10 Party Royal

2.40 Selinda

3.10 Rothesay Chancer

3.40 Northern Fling (nap)

4.10 All For You

4.40 Bandanaman

5.10 Indian Giver

Newton Abbot

2.00 Wiffy Chatsby

2.30 Prince Tom

3.00 Daneva

3.30 Marodima

4.00 The Fish Pot

4.30 Lucy’s Legend

5.00 Himalayan Express

Sedgefield

2.20 Ghaabesh

2.50 Whatshallwedo

3.20 The Darling Boy

3.50 Esme Rides A Gaine

4.20 Highland Love

4.50 Sam Patch

5.20 Winged View

Beverley

6.35 Last Supper

7.05 Astrophysical Jet

7.35 Baileys Jubilee

8.05 Haywain

8.35 Quiet Appeal

9.05 John Louis

Folkestone

5.45 Ereka

6.15 Legal Legacy

6.45 Red Adair

7.15 Uncle Timmy

7.45 Backtrade

8.15 Safarjal

8.45 Naseem Alyasmeen

Double

Northern Fling

3:40 Ayr

Rothesay Chancer

3:10 Ayr