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.
LINDA PERRATT is after more success at her local track with Retirement Beckons in the racingtv.com Classified Stakes.
The recent Ayr scorer faces nine rivals in a contest his East Kilbride handler landed twelve months ago with Chinese Spirit.
“He was our third, and latest, winner of the year and it might have been a few more as we’ve just been touched off with one or so seconds and thirds,” Miss Perratt said of her eight-year-old. “He’s back into a classified stakes after that win in a handicap at Ayr and he’s been a real star – that’s now seven races he’s won for us.”
Locally-born Paul Muir has the second of her two mounts aboard Mike Smith-trained Royal Countess, a winner at Ayr in May for the 3lb claimer.
The card opens with the Hamilton-Park.co.uk Apprentice Handicap with Desert Quest, Lochnaver and last year’s victor Ghostly all boasting course and distance winning form at the Lanarkshire venue.
Jim Goldie’s Cosa Sara is also after a repeat performance in the Cleanstay At Hampton By Hilton Bothwell Castle Fillies Handicap.
However Gone might be a tough nut to crack as she arrives on a four-timer attempt following strikes at Carlisle, Lingfield and Bath.
Alghalib, who cost €160,000 as a yearling, bids to build on his promising Ripon debut in the Hamilton Park EBF Maiden Stakes, which is a qualifier for the Hamilton Park 2YO Series Final later in the season.
The Bitter Moose, a similar priced purchase at 140,000gns, is an interesting newcomer ridden by Paul Hanagan for Cheshire trainer Hugo Palmer.