WE head to Ayr today with three runners, our first of the new season - just two weeks after the curtain came down on the old one for us.
LAST ONE TO SHOW (2.40) goes in the first division of the two-and-a-half mile hurdle, it’s his first time in handicap company. We have always liked him even though he was disappointing in his bumpers. He’s qualified for handicaps now but starts off life in this sphere on a high mark thanks to his fourth behind Limerick Leader at Kelso last month. A mark of 94 is stiff enough for his first go, especially as he disappointed at Sedgefield last time out.
On the positive side, I do believe a big, galloping track like Ayr will suit him and conditions will be in his favour. So we’re giving this a go and it will be interesting to see how he gets on handicapping and whether our view that it’s a high mark differs from the handicapper’s.
Good old JACK DEVINE (4.25) makes his comeback on the track after 537 days off with a tendon injury. He seems great at home and although we are always slightly worried about his wind, he’s had it done before, we do think his record fresh means he should be competitive. We have got him pretty fit and he’s sitting on a good mark since the handicapper has taken six off from his last run in 2020, so hopefully he’ll run well.
It’s just a pity poor Dylan Johnston is sitting at home in Ireland with a broken leg because Jack would have been an ideal one for us to use him and take ten pounds off today. As it is, we are using Ed Austin to take off five and hopefully he builds up a nice rapport with him.
DOKTOR GLAZ (5.32) is one who might need the run a little bit - but as you can see from the photo above, he's in good fettle. He’s been dogged by lameness on and off throughout his career but he’s sound right now and working well at home. We would have ideally wanted to run him in a lower grade of race, but there are not many options around at this time of year so we have to take the opportunity. He’s another one who should like a big track like Ayr, so that’s a better fit for him than Perth later this month.
If he does prove to need the run and comes out of this afternoon okay, there’s a race for him at Kelso at the end of May which we’ll look at for him.