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.
BASS ROCK and Dubai Days fly the flag for Scotland in the feature race at Ayr on Friday.
Trained respectively by Sandy Thomson and Nick Alexander, they are among a eight-strong line-up for the £50,000 Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase over 2m 4f.
Bass Rock, an impressive winner on his chase debut at Carlisle in November, will be having just his fourth run over fences while Dubai Days, a recent scorer at the same Cumbrian venue, was successful over two miles on the corresponding card twelve months ago.
In a wide-open race, Paul Nicholls – about to be crowned champion jumps trainer for the 14th time – saddles top-weight Saint Calvados with his former in-mate Christopher Wood appearing out of the Venetia Williams stable for the sixth time since switching yards in February.
Alexander, fresh from a double at Kelso on Monday, also has a live chance with Charm Offensive in the Coral Racing Club Seafield Trophy Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
Nine of the Kinneston raider’s 14 races under Rules have been at Ayr where she has won three times and been second on five other visits.
Patrick Wadge, who returned from suspension at Cheltenham yesterday, gets the leg up on Aurora Thunder for his boss Lucinda Russell. The partnership were fourth at Musselburgh last month since when the handicapper has dropped the nine-year-old 4lbs.