I interviewed owner-breeder Emma Armstrong on Racing TV after Ainsdale's success in the nursery at York on Friday and she told me: "The race went to plan and Ainsdale didn't mind the soft ground, or the fast pace. He's one to follow."
The notebook horse is improving with every run and impressed with his attitude after being outpaced at halfway.
This highly regarded son of the Armstrong's Group-One-winning sire Mayson has gone up 13lb after this four-length success but will be tough to beat in similar conditions.
- (*He runs in the 4.10 Nottingham today (Wednesday October 16) under a 6lb penalty, so is officially 7lb well in)
Cristal Breeze was withdrawn due to soft ground when fancied in the 7f handicap on this card. I interviewed William Haggas' wife and assistant Maureen and she told me: " I saw the car park was closed due to the heavy rain and had a chat with William and she said it would be best to take him out and wait for a bit of drier ground. He's definitely worth waiting for off his mark."
Cristal Breeze won a couple of novices in the spring and had been in consistently good form in handicaps, including when second over this trip at Newmarket last time.
A mark of 84 looks very workable.
Ralph Beckett has a superb record with daughters of Lope de Vega and Annie De Vega made a very promising start when third in the maiden over an extended 1m at Nottingham on Wednesday.
This 38,000 guineas purchase wasn't the biggest in the paddock but she's a well bred daughter of Annie's Fortune, who was Placed over 7f in aGroup race as a juvenile and a half-sister to Listed winner Natalie's Joy and 6f winner Reputation.
Racing in midfield, she made headway over three-out and tracked the leaders before the two-furlong pole.
Given a sympathetic ride when unable to pass market rivals King Carney and Damage Control, who both had the benefit of experience, Annie De Vega deserves credit for this two-length defeat. She will know more next time and is bred to improve.
Looking ahead, Big Boris could exploit a favourable rating of just 58 in the 1m nursery at Pontefract on Monday. David Evans' son of Baltic King had been well backed for an engagement Southwell last month but was declared a non-runner for that evening fixture.
He had to be switched before challenging and losing by only a length over this trip in testing conditions at Chepstow two weeks earlier and there should be plenty of opportunities in the autumn. Interesting.
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