Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr
Following an outstanding launching at Haydock only a fortnight back, Lightning Polka will seek to carry 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 among the first horses sent out to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a perfect start to her career on .
Her handler is well conscious she has much more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, but is hoping she can show approximately the job.
Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker said: "It's a big day and she was truly outstanding at Haydock on her debut.
"I believe 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 improve once again from this run and we have actually not done a lot given that Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have liked it to have actually been three weeks given that her launching instead of 2, however she's a great filly and she was truly straightforward and expert very first time.
Trainer Ed Walker is all set for a big afternoon at Ayr (John Walton/PA)
"It's a dream to train for the King and Queen and she was actually our first two-year-old to have a problem, which I couldn't believe.
"I was so ecstatic to train two horses for the King and Queen and I have a really nice filly who is a bit backward and after that Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and got a niggle early, however fortunately she overcame that quickly and she's amazing."
Among the biggest dangers to Lightning Polka seems double winner Coming Attraction, who won a hot conditions race at Chester last time and represents the thriving Roger Varian string.
Also in the mix is Richard Fahey's Catching The Moon, who needed to choose 2nd behind Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken on her Leicester debut before easily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the 2nd time of asking.
Fahey thinks the No Nay Never filly might not understand her full capacity until next season, however is eager to evaluate the waters at a higher level before completion of her juvenile project.
"We simulate her however I'm not sure how she will manage the ground if it's on the sluggish side," he said.
"We're happy to run her and see what takes place. I think her very first run was rather excellent and we feel we would most likely beat the winner if we satisfied again and after that the race at Beverley which she won will have done her the world of excellent, so we've been pleased with her.
"She's a filly for next year truly and I didn't want to run her too lots of times, but I needed to run her once again so I believed I might too run her in a good race and see how she gets on."
An overall of 15 two-year-old fillies go to publish on the west coast of Scotland, with other significant names consisting of Simon and Ed Crisford's Lowther 4th 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 considering that impressing at Newmarket in April.
He is the likely favourite in a field of six 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 suffered succeeding narrow defeats at Listed level in the Gala Stakes and August Stakes.
"He's been a bit regrettable but he wants soft ground and ideally it will still have some cut in it on Saturday as the softer it is, the better he will be," said Haggas.
"He's an extremely good horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even better horse."