Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an impressive launching at Haydock just a fortnight earlier, Lightning Polka will want 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 is among the first horses sent out to trainer Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made an ideal start to her profession on Merseyside.


Her handler is well aware she has much more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, but is hoping she can show as much as the job.


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


"I believe she'll be OK on the ground, even though Tom (Marquand) stated it was a bit dead and ugly when he rode there on Thursday.


"I think she'll enhance again from this run and we've refrained from doing a lot since Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have enjoyed it to have been three weeks considering that her launching rather than 2, however she's a great 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 a problem, which I could not think.


"I was so thrilled 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 got a niggle early, however thankfully she overcame that quickly and she's amazing."


One of the biggest threats to Lightning Polka appears to be 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 launching before readily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the 2nd time of asking.


Fahey thinks the No Nay Never filly may not realise her complete potential till next season, but is eager to test the waters at a higher level before the end of her juvenile project.


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


"We more than happy to run her and see what takes place. I think her first run was quite excellent and we feel we would probably beat the winner if we reunited and then 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 want to run her a lot of times, but I required to run her once again so I believed I might too run her in a great race and see how she gets on."


A total of 15 two-year-old fillies go to publish on the west coast of Scotland, with other noteworthy names including 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 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 considering 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 remain ideal for a four-year-old who has actually suffered successive narrow beats at Listed level in the Gala Stakes and August Stakes.


"He's been a bit unfortunate 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," said Haggas.


"He's a really good horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even much better horse."