AYR Racecourse stages its third July meeting of the year today (Monday) with a six race card which gets under way with a competitive looking novice stakes for two year olds.
The two horses likely to be contesting the finish of this finished 1-2 at the track last month. That day St Andrew’s Castle, making his racecourse debut for trainer Iain Jardine, got up on the line to beat Stromboli.
Today the pair re-oppose with the David O’Meara trained Stromboli getting a 7lb pull in the weights from the Jardine runner. That could be enough to give him victory in the hands of jockey Danny Tudhope.
Local trainer Mike Smith’s horses are in great form and eight days ago at Ayr Royal Countess impressively won and he’s turned out again quickly in the Ayrshire Cancer Support Handicap at 5.25pm. Paddy Mathers again takes the mount and this mare could be hard to beat if running to the same level.
The feature race is the QTS Handicap run over 1m 2f at 4.50pm and this could go to the Mark Johnston trained Fairmac who has been running well in recent weeks without getting his head in front. Ben Curtis rides the three year-old whose main rival looks to be recent Chepstow winner Charging Thunder, the mount of Danny Tudhope for David O’Meara.
The first race is at 2.30pm with the final contest at 5.25pm.
