Ayr preview: Wet conditions "perfect" for soft-ground loving Sainted
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
William Haggas has his fingers firmly crossed Ayr gets the all-clear to race on Friday as he is convinced the ground will be right up Sainted's street in the Al Maktoum Cup Arran Scottish Fillies Sprint Stakes.
The meeting is subject to an inspection on Friday morning after Thursday's card was washed out.
The daughter of Dutch Art made a winning debut on heavy ground at Doncaster as a two-year-old in November 2015 and all three subsequent victories have been with varying degrees of cut in the ground.
"I think conditions will be perfect for her if it's on," said Haggas.
"She loves soft ground and I've wanted to drop her down in trip for a while, but the races weren't there.
"All her family, most of which I've trained like Penitent, revelled in ground like this.
"I really hope it's on as she's got a lot in her favour."
Simmie captured the scalp of this year's French 1000 Guineas winner Precieuse in a Listed race on heavy ground at Chantilly in November, making Karl Burke optimistic of a good run in the testing conditions
"She's in good form. She loves heavy ground. It should be very soft up there and hopefully she can go there and run well," said the Middleham handler.
Richard Fahey is set to saddle both Group-race winner Queen Kindly and Beverley Bullet third The Wagon Wheel.
Michael Dods is double-handed with Intense Romance and Mabs Cross, as is Keith Dalgleish, who is represented by Glenrowan Rose and Clem Fandango. The latter has also been left in Saturday's Ayr Gold Cup at the 48-hour final declaration stage.
Declan Carroll is expecting a big run from Abel Handy in the Shadwell Stud/EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes.
The son of Arcano was only beaten half a length when second to Sound And Silence in the Listed Roses Stakes at York on his latest start, and the winner franked the form with Group Three success in France on Wednesday.
"We're looking forward to running him. He's been training well. After he ran well at York, we thought we'd keep him for this," said Carroll.
"He's a nice little colt and is improving with every run. He's a nice, willing horse."
Opposition includes Tim Easterby's Staxton, who was fifth in the Gimcrack, and It Dont Come Easy, who has been highly tried by Fahey in three Group races since opening his account at Musselburgh in June.
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