Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr
Following an excellent debut at Haydock only a fortnight ago, Lightning Polka will want to bring the royal colours to Group Three success in the Ladbrokes-sponsored Firth Of Clyde at Ayr on Saturday.
The child of Night Of Thunder is one of the very first horses sent out to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a best start to her career on Merseyside.
Her handler is well aware she has much more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, however is hoping she can prove as much as the job.
Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker said: "It's a big day and she was actually outstanding at Haydock on her debut.
"I think she'll be OK on the ground, although Tom (Marquand) said it was a bit dead and tacky when he rode there on Thursday.
"I think she'll enhance once again from this run and we've not done a lot given that Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have liked it to have actually been 3 weeks because her launching rather than 2, however she's a nice filly and she was really simple and expert very first time.
Trainer Ed Walker is ready for a huge afternoon at Ayr (John Walton/PA)
"It's a dream to train for the King and Queen and she was in fact our first two-year-old to have an obstacle, which I couldn't think.
"I was so fired up to train two horses for the King and Queen and I have a very great filly who is a bit backward and after that Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and chose up a niggle early, but fortunately she overcame that rapidly and she's interesting."
Among the most significant hazards to Lightning Polka seems dual winner Coming Attraction, who won a race at Chester last time and represents the prospering Roger Varian string.
Also in the mix is Richard Fahey's Catching The Moon, who needed to choose second behind Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken on her Leicester debut before readily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the second time of asking.
Fahey believes the No Nay Never filly might not realise her complete capacity till next season, but is keen to evaluate the waters at a higher level before completion of her juvenile project.
"We simulate her however I'm not exactly sure how she will manage the ground if it's on the slow side," he said.
"We enjoy to run her and see what happens. I believe her first run was rather great and we feel we would probably beat the winner if we met again and after that the race at Beverley which she won will have done her the world of good, so we have actually been pleased with her.
"She's a filly for next year actually and I didn't wish to run her a lot of times, however I required to run her once again so I believed I may as well run her in a good race and see how she gets on."
A total of 15 two-year-old fillies go to post on the west coast of Scotland, with other significant names consisting of Simon and Ed Crisford's Lowther fourth Dandana, Ed Bethell's easy Catterick winner Rogue Attraction and George Boughey's unbeaten three-time winner India Love.
There is also competitive action, albeit with less runners, in the Listed Ladbrokes "Big Football Bet Builder Boosts" Doonside Cup, where Andrew Balding's Feilden Stakes winner Almeric makes his very first look given that impressing at Newmarket in April.
He is the likely favourite in a field of 6 for a 10-furlong contest in which William Haggas is represented by Caviar Heights, with the Somerville Lodge handler hoping conditions stay appropriate for a four-year-old who has actually suffered succeeding narrow beats at Listed level in the Gala Stakes and August Stakes.
"He's been a bit regrettable but he desires soft ground and hopefully it will still have some cut in it on Saturday as the softer it is, the much better he will be," said Haggas.
"He's a really nice horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even better horse."