Pastoral Player set for Ayr appearance

Pastoral Player remains on course for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, as long as the ground remains suitable in Scotland.

Hughie Morrison’s four-year-old finished fourth in a competitive heat over seven furlongs at Ascot last Saturday after a couple of high-profile efforts in big handicaps this term.

A winner at Newmarket in May, Pastoral Player has risen from a mark of 96 to his current perch of 102 after finishing third in the Wokingham and sixth in the Stewards’ Cup.

Morrison said: “I was happy with him at Ascot, he ran well and the jockey felt he just possibly didn’t stay the trip.

“Ascot is a difficult course to try to stay a little further.

“He’s a decent horse, he just needs everything to fall right and he is at the top of the handicap.

“Ayr is the plan but he won’t run if the ground is heavy.”

Morrison also has a nice juvenile prospect to look forward to, with Chil The Kite pencilled in for a trip to Newmarket later this month.

The Notnowcato colt was a winner at Goodwood last time and Morrison is eyeing a nursery event next.

He added: “I think we will see how he gets on in a nursery at Newmarket on September 22 and we could possibly step him up after that.

“He is entered in the totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar but he won’t run there.

“He won over a mile at Goodwood and it’s over six furlongs at Redcar and I don’t want to blow his brains there.”