Runners at Ayr on Saturday

Couple of runners at Ayr on Saturday, headed by Keyboard Gangster in the main event at 3.25. Callum takes both rides and here's wishing 'Mouse' Young plus his fellow club members and Helen Simpson & Al Duncan all the best for an enjoyable day.

Stainsby Girl kicks off weekend proceedings for the yard in the opener at Ayr on Saturday, where the advance going is soft and there's still a fair bit of rain around.
The mare won her bumper on debut last season, but has raced very keenly in all her races. We did toy with the idea of running her in a hood, and have applied that headgear at home but we're leaving it off tomorrow for her jumping bow.

It looks quite a competitive race at this stage. 12 runners for this 2 mile mares maiden hurdle, and the eye is immediately drawn to a couple of runners with proven hurdle form - Rosie And Millie, the Crawford Bros. Lily's Gem as well as Katie's Western Supernova. Like our mare, there are a few making their hurdling debut after having run well in bumpers last season - McCain's Amelia's Dance is a case in point - and Lucinda's Calle Malva makes her rules debut having been placed three times in Irish Points.

Oh, and there are a couple off the Flat from the powerful Scottish yards of Dalgleish and Goldie, Iconic Code and Pammi (3rd on hurdling debut earlier this week) respectively.

It's a wide open race, hard to discount anything really. Stainsby Girl has schooled well but this is just the start of her hurdling career so lets hope she settles into a nice rhythm and is staying on at the finish.

Stainsby Girl (Callum) in a recent schooling session

Another 'hood-less' Dodlands' inmate runs later on in the card in the Scottish Champion Hurdle Trial, a Class 2 handicap over 2 miles, in the shape of Keyboard Gangster.

We think the first race on the card is wide open, but this one is an ultra competitive handicap and with half the field returning after summer breaks, the relative fitness of the runners will hold the key.

A competitive handicap then, but we'd think that Keyboard Gangster will need a run or two under his belt before being able to contest the finish of such races. Another keen sort, we hope he settles well, jumps nicely to set him on the right path for the main part of the season.  

Keyboard Gangster (Georgina)

Our Carlisle runners on Sunday

And so onto Sunday at Carlisle, with a trio of runners. Callum again is in the saddle, and good luck to our owners - 'Wee Davie' Brown, The Brave Lads Partnership and  Al Duncan.

Danced Every Dance will come into her own in staying handicap hurdles later in the season, and takes the field for her second run in a novice hurdle in the opening race over 2m 4f. Never mind trainers, there are some powerful owners represented here - Trevor Hemmings, Suede & Munir, Owen & Fullager, Taylor & O'Dwyer (of Lostintranslation fame) to name but four.

Danced Every Dance will start at long odds in this type of field, but we hope she can put in a good round of jumping and gain experience on which to build later in the season.

Danced Every Dance (Laura)

Big Bad Dream lines up in the 2 mile 1f handicap hurdle at 1.55. He's a talented racehorse and is the sort who can be competitive when fit. But he's quite lazy at home and there's no getting away from it - he does need a few races to get into shape.
He faces 14 opponents today, and Callum will no doubt be scrubbing him along at the foot of the hill.

But, you've got to start somewhere........

Big Bad Dream (Callum)

And so to close off our weekend another competitive Class 2 handicap, this time over 2m 4f at 3.05.

Six of the 9 runners are coming back after a summer break and may have to yield in fitness terms to the likes of Harriet's star Aye Right and Micky Hammond's hardy 6yr old Becky The Thatcher (7 wins from 40 runs over hurdles and on the Flat). If he returned to top form, Sue Smith's Silva Eclipse is handily weighted at the foot of the weights but otherwise it's a tight race.

Our hopes are pinned on Eternally Yours, a lightly-raced mare. She is well at home, but wouldn't be fully race fit at this time of the season.
Still, we hope she can put in a good performance and maybe sneak into a place.

Eternally Yours on the right (Rebecca) with Stainsby Girl (Garry)