RAITH Rovers are dreaming of promotion into the Ladbrokes Premiership and the supporters of the Fife club were on another winner at Lingfield last week.
Ross Raith Rover, named after their 20-year-old midfielder Ross Matthews, scored for the first time in a maiden handicap at the rewarding odds of 9/2. Matthews’ father Ian is a part-owner of the winner, which was the first of 2017 for Newmarket trainer Robert Eddery, a brother of the late champion jockey Pat Eddery.
There is another football-themed horse running for the syndicate in the next week or two as they have Tynecastle Park lined up for a race at Southwell.
LOOK out for Lee Newman, champion apprentice with 87 winners in 2000 while with Richard Hannon, making another return to the saddle. The Ayr-born 35-year-old is set to stage his comeback in Australia where he been an assistant trainer for the past two years.
Lee, who lost six stone before resuming his career in 2011 when he recorded 43 winners, has passed the necessary medical and expects to riding Down Under as early as next month. Now based in Perth, Newman should benefit from the weights being higher and there is also good prize money up for grabs. We wish him well and will keep you updated on his progress.
IT was sad to hear of the death of triple Grand National-winning jockey Brian Fletcher at the age of 69. His last two victories came in 1973 and 1974 aboard Aintree legend Red Rum and he also bagged the 1968 marathon on Red Alligator. Brian’s first winner was at Ayr in April 1965 and, despite all his big-race wins, he always maintained his career highlight was landing the 1974 Scottish National on Red Rum.
No other horse has won the Aintree and Ayr version in the same season and a bronze sculpture of “Rummy” can been seen outside the entrance of the Western House Hotel.
AYR stages a new competitive two-day fixture tomorrow and on Tuesday and healthy entries feature horses from all over the UK and Ireland. Two Taffs, which Dan Skelton to a maiden century when winning over hurdles on Scottish National day last season, could contest the novices’ chase on Tuesday.
Great prize money is on offer at Kelso today when there is a £25,000 chase and £20,000 hurdle. Gloucestershire trainer Ben Pauling has rare track runners in Perfect Pirate and Red Indian with both having excellent chances.
Don’t forget to check out our Twitter feed (@ScottishRacing) and www.scottishracing.co.uk for all the latest news.
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