Weekend Review

I have been fortunate enough to have covered the Scottish National meeting at Ayr for Racing UK / Racing TV for the last fifteen years and I can honestly say the 2024 version was the best yet. The excellent weather and sell out crowd all contributed to the occasion but the presence of Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins and 18 of his string from Closutton gave the fixture an extra dimension. Mullins was 0 from 5 going into the meeting and emerged on Saturday evening with four winners (4,462/1), including Macdermott's nose victory in the Scottish National itself, and is all set to become the first Irishman to win the British trainers' championship since Vincent O'Brien seventy years ago. The 67 year old was generous with his time with the media and racegoers alike throughout the afternoon and is a true gentleman. 

Six times Grade 1 winner Sharjah was given a beautiful ride by Paul Townend to win the three miles novices' handicap chase. The eleven year old was tackling the trip for the first time and was patiently ridden until produced in the homestraight. The same rider nearly produced a carbon copy effort aboard Bialystok in the Scottish Champion Hurdle only for his mount to hang his chance away on the run-in. Victory went to Top 40 Prospects entry Favour And Fortune (5/1) who relished the drying conditions. Best of the British in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Alan King's runner made the most of his mark of 138. The form of the Festival opener is looking strong with runner-up Mystical Power going one better in Grade 1 company at Aintree this month.

In terms of the future, the star of the show was Quai De Bourbon who outclassed his opponents in the two and a half miles novice hurdle on Saturday. Rated 145, the ex-French gelding had run well when finishing third in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. Take wide by Townend, he proved far too good sauntering clear after the last to win hard held by half a dozen lengths. Willie Mullins suggested afterwards that a trip to Punchestown is likely to be on the card. 

Switching codes, Ahead On The Flat has made a fine start with the Top 40 Prospects winners including Caprelo (11/4), Economics (4/6), Endless Victory (Evens) and Kikkuli (5/2) last week. However, the most pleasing result was Wiltshire (14/1) winning on his first start for William Haggas at Newbury on Friday. Featured in the Stable Switchers section of AOTF, the former Martyn and Freddie Meade trained four year old was purchased for 92,000gns in October and has the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot as his chief target. Tom Marquand's mount came late and fast to win the six furlongs handicap at the Berkshire track by a head off a mark of 93.

Indeed, it proved a productive few days for the Somerville Lodge outfit with veteran Hamish winning the Group 3 John Porter Stakes at the same track on Saturday. The eight year old was winning his eleventh race from ninteen starts and his eighth Pattern event. Stablemate and Top 40 entry Economics looked a smart prospect when taking the one mile maiden later on the same card. Haggas won the same event in 2022 with My Prospero and the son of Night of Thunder looks Pattern material, too. Either the Dante Stakes at York (16th May) or Heron Stakes at Sandown (23rd May) is likely to be his next port of call.