Russell and Fox mount a Final Assault at Ayr

Lucinda Russell is targeting the feature race at Ayr today with Final Assault and top conditional jockey Derek Fox will be aboard for the £12,000 Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Handicap Chase over three miles.
Lucinda Russell saddles Final Assault in the Ayr feature. Picture: GettyLucinda Russell saddles Final Assault in the Ayr feature. Picture: Getty
Lucinda Russell saddles Final Assault in the Ayr feature. Picture: Getty

Russell’s Milnathort stable is in great form at the moment but her charge in the feature will face a stiff challenge from another leading conditional jockey, Craig Nichol, on the Nicky Richards trained Un Noble.

There is a six-race card today, starting at 1.20 pm and the opening race is a two mile four furlong maiden hurdle with one interesting runner, Iain Jardine’s Fairy Theatre , who was second in a similar race at Hexham last month.

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However, Caledonia can finally gain a first jumps success in the race, the racinguk.com/freetrial Maiden Hurdle, after a fine return at the track last month.

The afternoon’s action concludes with the Racinguk.com Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt flat race at 3:50pm, with Alan Swinbank sending Ten Trees from North Yorkshire and Stuart Crawford, a specialist in this type of race, crossing the Irish Sea from his Larne base with Siena Bouquet.

At Kempton, Glorious Days is an eyecatching contender as he makes his British bow for Ed Walker in the Boo Conditions Stakes. The eight-year-old may be reaching the back end of his career now but he is no back number as he brings really top-class form to the table.

Formerly trained by John Size in Hong Kong, Glorious Days has mixed it with the best in the mile division in recent years, chasing home Ambitious Dragon in the Hong Kong Mile in 2012 before landing the big race itself a year later. He was beaten just over four lengths by subsequent runaway Dubai Duty Free winner Just A Way last June but connections have switched their attention to Britain as current Hong Kong star Able Friend seemingly has his measure now judged on three comprehensive defeats.

Glorious Days has not run since his most recent defeat at the hands of that rival in April but that is not really a negative given he won the Hong Kong Mile off the back of a six-month absence. Rated 110, Walker must be relishing the opportunity to campaign the Hussonet gelding this winter.

Normal Equilibrium posted his best effort for some time at Leicester last month and could be coming right just in time for the 32Red Casino Handicap.

A winner at Chelmsford on his only try on a synthetic surface to date, Normal Equilibrium has slipped back down the handicap from a high of 100 to his current perch of 92. That is the same mark he held at Chelmsford and Robert Cowell could have played a blinder in his placing of this horse.