Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an impressive debut at Haydock only a fortnight back, Lightning Polka 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 among the first horses sent out to trainer Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a perfect start to her career on Merseyside.


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


Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker said: "It's a special day and she was actually impressive at Haydock on her debut.


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


"I believe she'll improve again from this run and we've not done a lot since Haydock as this comes quick enough. I would have enjoyed it to have been three weeks considering that her debut rather than 2, however she's a good filly and she was really simple and expert very first time.


Trainer Ed Walker is prepared for a big afternoon at Ayr (John Walton/PA)


"It's a dream to train for the King and Queen and she was really our first two-year-old to have a problem, which I could not believe.


"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 got a niggle early, but fortunately she overcame that quickly and she's interesting."


One of the biggest dangers to Lightning Polka appears to be double winner Coming Attraction, who won a hot conditions race at Chester last time and represents the growing Roger Varian string.


Also in the mix is Richard Fahey's Catching The Moon, who needed to settle for 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 may not understand her full potential until next season, but is keen to test the waters at a greater level before completion of her juvenile campaign.


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


"We enjoy to run her and see what takes place. I think her first run was quite 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 wish to run her a lot of times, but I needed to run her once again so I thought I may as well run her in an excellent 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 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 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 since 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 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 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 great horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even much better horse."