Perratt on the way back
Balwearie continued the revival of Linda Perratt’s fortunes with a narrow victory in the Seasons Holidays Handicap at Ayr this afternoon.
Seafield Towers ended a 10-week winnerless spell for the local trainer here yesterday after her horses had been badly affected by a mystery virus, which meant she went “four or five weeks” without a runner.
But they are clearly returning to form and Balwearie kept up the good work for the yard with a neck call over Sting Like A Bee after being given a good ride by Royston Ffrench.
The jockey weaved his way through the pack in the straight on the 10-1 chance to hit the front close home and gain the day in a finish fought out by five horses.
“We thought the horses were coming back, but one or two of them are still struggling and are still on medication,” explained the Cree Lodge handler.
“We had to start treating them because they had a liver enzyme problem, but that didn’t show up until three weeks after the muscular problems first appeared.
“Hopefully we are trying to run the ones we think are right and they are looking as though they are starting to come back – we need them badly.”
And of Balwearie, Miss Perratt added: “This horse ran very well in a seller last time and looked an unlucky loser.
“We ran him to give him a confidence boost, but we nearly lost him. We put a friendly claim in for him and got him back. There’ll be no more sellers for him now – that was a lesson learnt.”
Neil Callan moved on to 104 for the year with an 18-1 double on High Curragh and Slavonic.
Both horses were trained by Kevin Ryan and the former set the ball rolling with a game victory in the Kennedy Construction Median Auction Maiden Stakes.
The youngster had finished a promising third at Beverley 18 days ago and was sent off a solid 5-2 second-favourite to improve on that effort.
Callan was always prominent on High Curragh before booting him into the lead two furlongs from home and although strongly pressed in the closing stages, the colt held on by three-quarters of a length from 7-4 favourite Frank Crow.
After dismounting, Callan said: “I really like him and that’s the horse we know at home.
“He’s still a big baby and he was green as grass last time. He started idling in front today and I put that down to greenness again.
“He’s definitely a nice horse for the future.”
The brace was completed 30 minutes later with Slavonic in the Ayrshire Hospice Selling Stakes.
The 9-2 shot cruised up to the leaders in the straight before being ridden clear to win by two and a half lengths from Jedeydd.
Slavonic was retained by connections for 5,000 guineas at the subsequent auction.
Favourite backers suffered a blow when Locombe Hill, the 2-1 market leader, trailed in last of the 15 runners.
The nine-year-old got very upset in the stalls and was eased right down by Danny Tudhope once his chance had gone.
The stewards inquired into whether the horse should have been allowed to run and they took evidence from the vet, the starter and the trainer (Noel Wilson). They will forward a confidential report to the Jockey Club.
African Gift (12-1) came from well off the pace on the stands side to land the Architecture Design And Developments Solutions Handicap in the hands of Tony Culhane.
The field for the six-furlong dash split into two groups with six of the 15 runners electing to race on the near side.
It soon became clear that they had the advantage and Culhane pounced late on James Given’s filly to beat Ruby’s Dream a shade cosily in the end by a length and a half.
“It was obviously an advantage to go to the stands side and I left that decision up to Tony,” Given said.
“This filly is just coming to herself and she’s won almost too easily. The way she won we might have to look for something next week before she gets handicapped again.”
Rancho Cucamonga was another to come fast and late to score when she defeated Highland Cascade in good style in the Harry Kennedy Memorial European Breeders Fund Fillies’ Handicap.
David Barron’s 8-1 shot was suited by the fast pace set by her stable companion Fiore Di Bosco and after trailing the field, she burst through the pack to win going away by three lengths.
Chaka Zulu, without a win for almost five years, rewarded connections’ faith with a comfortable success under Robert Winston in the Annefield Supplies Handicap.
Owner Tony Irving said: “We’ve had him for nearly four years and we’ve persevered with him because he’s run some good races in defeat and I was always confident he would win for us.”
