Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an outstanding launching at Haydock only a fortnight earlier, Lightning Polka will want to bring the royal colours to Group Three success in the Ladbrokes-sponsored Firth Of Clyde at Ayr on Saturday.


The daughter of Night Of Thunder is among the very first horses sent to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made a best start to her career on Merseyside.


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


Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker stated: "It's a wedding day and she was truly impressive at Haydock on her debut.


"I think 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 believe she'll enhance once again from this run and we have actually not done a lot because Haydock as this comes quick enough. I would have liked it to have actually been three weeks because her debut rather than 2, but she's a good filly and she was truly uncomplicated 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 could not believe.


"I was so ecstatic to train 2 horses for the King and Queen and I have an extremely great filly who is a bit backwards and then Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and got a niggle early, but luckily she got over that rapidly and she's interesting."


One of the biggest threats to Lightning Polka seems dual 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 had to choose second 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 believes the No Nay Never filly might not understand her complete up until next season, however is eager to evaluate the waters at a higher level before the end of her juvenile campaign.


"We simulate her however I'm unsure how she will deal with the ground if it's on the sluggish side," he said.


"We enjoy to run her and see what happens. I think her very first run was quite great and we feel we would most likely beat the winner if we reunited and then the race at Beverley which she won will have done her the world of excellent, so we have actually been pleased with her.


"She's a filly for next year actually and I didn't want to run her a lot of times, however I required to run her once again so I thought 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 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 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 appearance because 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 remain 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 but he desires 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 a very good horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even much better horse."