Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr

Following an impressive launching at Haydock just a fortnight earlier, 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 daughter of Night Of Thunder is among the very first horses sent out to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made an ideal start to her profession on Merseyside.


Her handler is aware she has much more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, however is hoping she can show approximately the task.


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


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


"I think she'll improve again from this run and we've refrained from doing a lot considering that Haydock as this comes fast enough. I would have loved it to have been three weeks considering that her debut instead of 2, but she's a good filly and she was truly uncomplicated and professional 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 in fact our first two-year-old to have a setback, which I couldn't believe.


"I was so fired up to train 2 horses for the King and Queen and I have a really great 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 thankfully she got over that rapidly and she's exciting."


Among the greatest hazards 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 easily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the second time of asking.


Fahey believes the No Nay Never filly may not realise her complete capacity until next season, but is keen 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 cope with the ground if it's on the slow side," he stated.


"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 once again and after that 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 desire to run her too lots of times, but I needed to run her once again so I thought I might as well run her in a great 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 including Simon and Ed Crisford's Lowther 4th Dandana, Ed Bethell's simple 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 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 stay appropriate 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 regrettable but 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 an extremely good horse and when he gets you'll see an even much better horse."