Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an impressive debut at Haydock just 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 very first horses sent out to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a perfect start to her profession on Merseyside.


Her handler is well aware she has a lot more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, but is hoping she can show up to the task.


Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker stated: "It's a special day and she was actually remarkable at Haydock on her launching.


"I believe she'll be OK on the ground, although Tom (Marquand) stated 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've not done a lot because Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have loved it to have actually been 3 weeks considering that her debut rather than 2, but she's a nice filly and she was actually uncomplicated and professional 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 an obstacle, which I couldn't think.


"I was so fired up to train 2 horses for the King and Queen and I have a very good filly who is a bit backwards and after that Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and selected up a niggle early, but luckily she overcame that quickly and she's exciting."


Among the most significant dangers to Lightning Polka appears to be double winner Coming Attraction, who won a hot conditions 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 go for 2nd behind Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken on her Leicester debut before readily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the 2nd time of asking.


Fahey believes the No Nay Never filly may not realise her full capacity till next season, but is keen to evaluate the waters at a higher level before completion of her juvenile project.


"We do like her but I'm not exactly sure how she will deal with the ground if it's on the slow side," he said.


"We enjoy to run her and see what takes place. I believe her very first run was quite excellent and we feel we would probably beat the winner if we reunited and after that the race at Beverley which she won will have done her the world of great, so we've been pleased with her.


"She's a filly for next year truly and I didn't wish to run her a lot of times, however I required to run her again so I believed I might as well run her in an excellent 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 including Simon and Ed Crisford's Lowther fourth Dandana, Ed Bethell's simple Catterick winner Rogue Attraction and George Boughey's unbeaten three-time winner India Love.


There is likewise 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 most 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 successive narrow defeats at Listed level in the Gala Stakes and August Stakes.


"He's been a bit regrettable however he wants 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," stated Haggas.


"He's an great horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even better horse."