Our Gallops Reporter has the latest from Andrew Balding's yard as Scorching Heat limbers up for Ayr at the weekend.
Balding has good reason for making the Ayr Gold Cup one of his favourite races and the Park House trainer has a live contender for Saturday's renewal in SCORCHING HEAT.
Ever since his stylish triumph at Goodwood this fellow has been trained with one race in mind.
Connections have a cause for concern over whether he will make the cut, however. He is not dissimilar to Balding's recent winner Highland Colori and needs to be produced as late as possible owing to a tendency to do little once he has hit the front.
He has impressed in his speed work both on the Canon Down grass gallop and the main all-weather strip and looks a leading player for one of Scotland's most famous races.
BRIEF VISIT contests a fillies' handicap at Ayr tomorrow and gives the impression she is on the cusp of a first career triumph.
She put in her best effort when second on turf last time out and is pleasing in her attitude going into this race.
PERFECT ANGEL is another distaffer heading to Ayr and engaged in pleasing work ahead of the Listed sprint there on Friday.
Her form gives her something to find, but a lot of fillies find unexpected improvement at this time of year and based on her recent home form she could be a case in point.
Balding will have his fair quota of runners at Newbury, with WINGINGIT an interesting player in the old Arc Trial, while REBEL STREAK is better than his latest run indicates and could have a shot at the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes after going well in his midweek spin.
