Gordon Brown – Race Reporter
Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.
The curtain falls on the 2021 Flat season at Ayr on Thursday with the eight race Virgin Bet Raceday.
A total of 85 horses line up across the card and there is some competitive racing in store.
The feature race is the Virgin Bet Handicap over six furlongs where the Julie Camacho trained Big Les, a course and distance winner last week, is likely to start favourite in what looks a wide open contest. Any rain would be a bonus for John Kirkup from the Michael Dods yard while Mike Smith’s Black Friday has three course and distance wins to his name.
The Download the Virgin Bet App Handicap over seven furlongs is another tricky looking contest to solve with 14 runners going to post. Written Broadcast hinted at a return to form at the track last week for trainer Harvey Bastiman and jockey Paul Hanagan while Retirement Beckons has good course form for trainer Linda Perratt and Ruth Carr’s Monaadhil could run a big race with Jimmy Sullivan in the saddle.
The Virgin Bet Fives Handicap over 1m 2f can see Innse Gall return to winning form for Iain Jardine and Andrew Mullen but he could be run close by Richard Fahey’s Firewater who won the race last year.
The final race of the Flat season at Ayr is the Virgin Bet Raceday Handicap over 1m 5f and Carluke trainer Keith Dalgleish runs two in this – Taxmeifyoucan, the mount of Callum Rodriguez and One Night In Milan who will be partnered by Billy Garritty. The latter was second at Catterick last time out and could go one better here.