Adrian Keatley truimphs at Ayr

IRISH trainer Adrian Keatley saddled a double at Ayr Racecourse yesterday then declared: “It’s a fair galloping track and a good place to bring horses.”

Paul Mulrennan: Held on to win. Picture: Getty Images

Keatley, who had a winner at the course on Sunday, sent out Michael’s Missile to win Division One of the six-furlong Racing UK Handicap under a confident Sean Corby ride and the same jockey-trainer combination teamed up to win the one mile one furlong handicap on Elusive Gent, which led from start to finish.

In between these successes the 17-year-old jockey had picked up a spare ride on Personal Touch for trainer Heather Dalton in the seven-furlong handicap and again he gave his mount a very impressive ride to win. A treble on the day for a jockey who now has six wins from ten rides at Ayr.

The feature race of the afternoon, a five-furlong handicap, was won by My Name Is Rio for trainer Michael Dods and jockey Paul Mulrennan in a pulsating finish just holding on from stablemate Gowanharry by a neck.

Keatley’s hopes of landing a treble came unstuck in the last when his Lady Ranger couldn’t peg back the Karl Burke-trained Jay Kay.

Jim Goldie kept the Scottish flag flying, landing a double with Goninadaethat in Division Two of the Racing UK Handicap and Braes of Lochalsh in the one mile five furlong handicap. Both horses were ridden by stable jockey Fergal Lynch.

At Pontefract today, Temptress is unquestionably worth a bash at Listed class when she runs in the Weatherbys VAT Services Pipalong Stakes.

A strong field has been declared for this historic one-mile affair, but Roger Charlton’s four-year-old filly could have a little more scope than many of her rivals. The daughter of Shirocco has been largely consistent in a seven-race career, with a runaway success in a tight Ascot handicap last summer the winning highlight so far.

That said, Charlton must have been equally as satisfied by her smashing effort at Royal Ascot, where she only succumbed by a neck in the Royal Hunt Cup. Indeed, Temptress might have even won one of the most competitive races of the Royal meeting had James Doyle not been forced to switch his companion wide to find daylight when push came to shove. She has since been elevated to a mark of 103 so it makes perfect sense to try her at this level. A testing, sharp circuit like Pontefract should suit her to a tee, while she also appears to have optimum ground conditions to be fully effective.

Tumblewind must have a good chance later on the card in the King Richard III Stakes .

Richard Whitaker’s mare is a decent horse on her day, and continually shows up well in fair sprint handicaps.

That was certainly the case over course and distance at the end of June when she finished third behind Gran Canaria Queen, even in spite of a troublesome dash to the line.

The daughter of Captain Rio has been left alone by the assessor for this assignment, which still makes her 1lb lower than when she won at Thirsk last May.