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.
ARDERA CROSS, carrying the colours of the late Clyde Valley farmer William Young, bids for an emotional repeat win at Ayr on Monday.
Trained under permit by Young’s son Wassels, the twelve-year-old faces ten rivals in the Racing TV Handicap Chase, a race he landed last year by a length and a half off the same mark of 95.
Having cost connections just £1,000 at the sales in May 2019, Ardera Cross has won eleven races – including six over course and distance – for his new yard, scooping in excess of £102,000 in total prize money along the way.
Crossford-based Young said: “Dad passed way peacefully shortly after spending Christmas Day with his family and he enjoyed a lot of fun and success with this horse.”
The likely favourite is Rocco Storm representing trainer Danny Brooke with his older brother Henry in the saddle. A non-runner at Newcastle on Boxing Day due to unsuitable ground, this going should be more to his liking after his clear-cut wins in soft conditions at Hexham and Sedgefield in the autumn.
Fresh from their double a Ayr a week ago, Daryl Jacob and Irish trainer Stuart Crawford team up again with El Poppochapo and Champ de Gane.
The former is a stoutly-bred type who runs in the opening Racing TV EBF Mares’ “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle while Champ de Gane, after an early exit on his chasing debut at Down Royal, is declared for the Follow @racingtv On Instagram Novices’ Handicap Chase.