Tweet Tweet all set for Listed engagement at Ayr

Declan Carroll eager to move progressive filly up in grade.

Tweet Tweet bids to continue her progression in the Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr on Friday.

Placed on each of her three starts as a juvenile last season, Declan Carroll’s charge has won three times from four outings this term and arrives on a hat-trick following summer victories at Haydock and York.

Carroll feels the time is right to test the water at Listed level in Scotland.

He said: “She’s in great form and it looks like she’s ready for a step up. This is her next step up and we’ll see how she gets on.

“She’s drawn high (stall 15) and I’ll tell you after the race if that is good or bad!

“We’ll play the cards we’re dealt and see how it goes.”

Dandalla has lots of high-class form to her name
Dandalla has lots of high-class form to her name (Julian Finney/PA)

The Karl Burke-trained Dandalla looked a potential superstar in the making after winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last summer, but is winless in eight starts since.

However, connections were encouraged by her fifth place in last month’s Beverley Bullet from a wide draw and hopes are high ahead of her latest assignment.

Nick Bradley, racing manager for the owners, said: “I think she’ll nearly win.

“We’ve messed it up in terms of how we’ve been riding her and tactics. We think we’ve now figured it out and we think she’s going to run a massive race on Friday.

“She’ll be there or thereabouts.”

Other contenders for the five-and-a-half-furlong Listed contest include John Quinn’s Keep Busy and a quartet of Irish raiders in Ken Condon’s pair of Teresa Mendoza and Let’s, Joe Murphy’s White Lavender and Russian River from Joseph O’Brien’s yard.

Listed honours are also up for grabs in the preceding British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes, in which the Burke-Bradley combination is represented by three-times winner Fast Response.

The Fast Company juvenile turns out just five days after dominating her rivals in a conditions event at Musselburgh.

Bradley added: “We thought she’d win up at Musselburgh as she was flying at home.

“She’s come out of the race well and Jason (Hart) keeps the ride. Hopefully she goes there with an each-way chance.”

The 13-strong field features two Irish challengers, with the Ger Lyons-trained Geocentric joined by Michael O’Callaghan’s Naas maiden winner Ernest Rutherford.

“He’s come out of his race in Naas well and we’re quite hopeful,” said O’Callaghan.

“He’s a nice colt and we wouldn’t be bringing him over if we didn’t think he’d run a big race.”

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