Gordon Brown – Race Reporter
Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.
Not for the first time this season, a two-year-old produced an eye-catching performance at Ayr and on this occasion it was Symbol Of Strength in the opening Virgin Bet EBF Maiden Stakes.
Ridden by Connor Beasley and trained by Adrian Keatley, the 9/2 chance saw off expensive breeze-up purchase Motawahij by a length and a quarter.
The winner, a 100,000gns yearling, has clearly come on leaps and bounds for his debut at Beverley in the spring and holds a tasty entry in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 23.
Beasley went on to record a double aboard Michael Dods-trained Roaring Ralph, owned by Carlisle businessman Frank Lowe, in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap.
Dods also doubled up on he card when Hawick-born Rhys Elliott got Zuffolo home by a short-head in the concluding Virgin Bet Best Odds Handicap.
And Hollie Doyle also joined the two winner club when scoring on He’s A Gentleman and Chaturanga – two of just three rides she had travelled north for.
The former, pipped by a neck over course and distance three weeks earlier, went one better in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Monday Back Handicap while the latter accounted for Pol Roger, representing Beasley and Dods, by a head in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap.