Dark cloud lifts for Linda Perratt at Ayr

A review of the action from Ayr on Monday as Linda Perratt saddled her first winner of the season.

Linda Perratt saddled her first winner of the season when Dark Crystal got up in the final stride at Ayr.

Perratt can normally be relied upon to reward her supporters on a fairly regular basis north of the border, but a virus early in the year had laid her string low.

Dark Crystal had finished second at the track earlier in the month and was sent off at 5/1 for the first division of the Racing UK Day Pass Just #10 Handicap, needing every yard of the seventh furlong to get the better of Dark Command

"It wasn't that much of a surprise," said Perratt of the David Nolan-ridden winner.

"She was unlucky her a fortnight ago and then we took her to Musselburgh when she nearly got brought down.

"I thought she'd have nearly won there, so sometimes you think you might have missed the boat a wee bit.

"We had a bit of a virus, they all had good first runs and then went off the boil, it took us a while to find out what it was.

"She's declared tomorrow but she looked like she had a hard enough race there."

The feature Racing UK Glasgow Fair Handicap was won in clear-cut fashion by Brian Ellison and Ben Curtis with Dream Walker (15/2) who was following up a recent Leicester win.

Ellison's grey could be spotted travelling noticeably well and he quickened clear to beat Le Chat D'or by a length and three-quarters.

Karl Burke has enjoyed a good season with his juveniles and Micolys (3/1) provided him with another winning one in the George & Rona Done Working Race Maiden Auction Fillies' Stakes, in the process giving Curtis a double.

Having joined Dream On Dreamer two furlongs out the pair got involved in a bit of a barging match.

Originally it looked as if the winner was being leaned on but both gave as good as they got.

"I think it was six and two threes. Watching live I thought we were hard done by but when I saw the head-on I didn't realise we'd come off the rail so far," Burke told Racing UK.

"I think if we'd have had a clearer run from the two marker and he'd pulled his stick through she'd have found more.

"She's a backward filly, needed the run at Beverley and will come on again for that.

"She'll probably end up in France as she's got French premiums and we're taking a decent team out in August for Deauville and Clairefontaine."

The bang-in-form Keith Dalgleish saddled another double with Forever A Lady (9/2) in the Polyflor Handicap for Joe Fanning and Archie's Advice (4/1) in the Watch Racing UK In HD Handicap under Jason Hart.