Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an impressive launching at Haydock only a fortnight back, will look 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 one of the first horses sent to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a perfect start to her profession on Merseyside.


Her handler is well conscious she has much more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, however is hoping she can prove as much as the task.


Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker said: "It's a special day and she was truly excellent at Haydock on her launching.


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


"I think she'll improve again from this run and we have actually refrained from doing a lot considering that Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have loved it to have actually been 3 weeks given that her debut instead of 2, however she's a nice filly and she was truly straightforward and expert very first time.


Trainer Ed Walker is all set for a huge afternoon at Ayr (John Walton/PA)


"It's a dream to train for the King and Queen and she was actually our very first two-year-old to have a setback, which I couldn't believe.


"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 then Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and got a niggle early, however luckily she overcame that quickly and she's exciting."


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 flourishing Roger Varian string.


Also in the mix is Richard Fahey's Catching The Moon, who needed to opt for second behind Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken on her Leicester launching before readily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the second time of asking.


Fahey believes the No Nay Never filly might not understand her complete capacity up until next season, but is keen to check the waters at a higher level before the end of her juvenile campaign.


"We simulate her however I'm uncertain how she will cope with 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 quite good and we feel we would most likely beat the winner if we met once again and then 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 really and I didn't desire to run her a lot of times, however I needed to run her again so I believed I might as well run her in an excellent 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 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 first look because impressing at Newmarket in April.


He is the most 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 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 ideally 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 an extremely great horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even much better horse."