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.
IT’S next stop Cheltenham for Bass Rock after he shoulders top-weight in the £15,000 feature race at Ayr on Monday.
Sandy Thomson’s gelding, who holds a couple of entries at the Festival in just over a fortnight’s time, faces three rivals in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase over the extended two miles.
Thomson said: “He’s in the Arkle Trophy on the Tuesday and the 2m 4f handicap chase on the Thursday. All being well he’ll run at Cheltenham and his owner Ray Green is quite keen to have a go at the Arkle.”
There isn’t likely to be much between Bass Rock and Donald McCain’s Richmond Lake at the head of the betting. The former, a non-runner due to unsuitable ground at Newcastle on Saturday, has been raised 6lbs for an impressive win at Wetherby in January.
And Charlotte Jones returns to the scene of her controversial ride last Tuesday to partner recent Carlisle scorer One Fine Man for her boss Jimmy Moffatt.
Lunar Discovery, second in the bumper eight days ago, became the first horse to be disqualified under the newly toughened whip rules after Jones, who incurred a 14-day suspension, was found to have used her whip 11 times, four over the trigger level for automatic disqualification.
Daryl Jacob has been a regular at Ayr this winter and his three declared mounts include early January course and distance winner L Anamour in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices’ Hurdle.