Off to Ayr on Thursday with two runners

Advance going at Ayr tomorrow is currently good to soft, but with so much rain around over the next 24 hours it will be soft, perhaps heavy, come race time.

Dali Mail ran a couple of nice races in Kelso bumpers last season, winning one and we took our chance with him in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting in April. Although well held in the end, he did run well for a long way maybe a wee bit free though.

We think the 5yr old Satri gelding has matured during the summer break and he has been working well on the home gallops. He's such a lengthy horse that there's always the danger that he meets one on the wrong stride, which may dent his confidence especially on debut, but we've done as much as we can at home so let's see how he progresses over hurdles.
So, with the rain has come lots of entries for horses. The 2 mile maiden hurdle - first race at Ayr tomorrow - has attracted sufficient entries to be split into 2 divisions, and Dali Mail runs in the second of these at 12.45.

Like our lad, there are a few hurdling debutants with eye-catching bumper form. Of course we know Ewart's Bluefortytwo very well and Kinneston Nick introduces the ex-Irish Not The Chablis, a Down Royal bumper winner during the summer.
And there are a few horses with experience who should be prominent too. Nicky's bumper winner Peter's Cousin will come on for his first run over hurdles when 2nd at Ayr last month, and Keith Dalglish's Fleminsfirth gelding Sporting Press (also a bumper winner) will surely find Ayr's galloping track and soft ground a more suitable experience than a fast run 2 miler at Musselburgh last time.

This is a very competitive novice hurdle, a fascinating race for the future. We'd hope for a nice round of jumping, and it'd be great to be in with a chance 2 out. Either way, Dali Mail will improve for the experience.

A couple of hours later, Side of the Road returns to action in the 2m 3½f handicap hurdle at 3.00pm.
As I write, there are 16 runners declared. Irish raider Pump Road takes a drop in class and catches the eye but it's 5's the field and a return to form by any of the field would see victory.

So, it's been 10 months off the track for our mare as she picked up a knock on her last run at Ayr in January. We've got her as fit as we can for her re-appearance but realistically Side of the Road will need the race.

Callum has schooled both our runners over the Easyfix hurdles this week in preparation for their seasonal debuts........let's see what tomorrow brings.

Best of luck to owners Nicola and John Mackin with Dali Mail, and hope everyone enjoys the day win, lose or draw!