Lad goes to Ayr with big hopes Five years after Another Rum landed the 'four-miler' for Ronald Lilley and Ian Duncan, the same owner and trainer's Inverlochy Lad could help with the expenses for next week's Festival when he competes in the four-runner Wkd Core Beginners' Chase at Ayr today under Keith Mercer. A very promising horse early in his career, the now nine-year-old has had his problems, but on recent evidence he is operating at the top of his game again. Johnny Creswell (race-riding from the age of 19) finally got off the mark as a 21-year-old on Inverlochy Lad in a very competitive open point-to-point at Kirkistown at the end of last November. On good to yielding ground that day, the 20/1 chance battled back having made the running (was headed between the last two) to get up close home to outgun Royal Ranger by half a length. Being on the gallop and the better surface were seen as the reasons behind Inverlochy Lad's upswing in fortunes on that occasion. Three runs under rules since have seen the Co. Antrim-trained runner jump soundly and compete with plenty of credit (second, third and fifth) behind decent types in Ireland such as Lord Cebellino, Becauseicouldntsee and Kimberlite King. His main opponent now would seem to be Point Barrow's half-brother Gilsland. This fellow sports cheek-pieces and his record in the jumping department is quite worrying. Texas Holdem (ex-Mag Mullins) meanwhile comes off a 459 day break and the three time hurdle victor faces a tough introduction to his fencing career. Big outsider Isla Pearl Fisher (now a non-runner) saw action as recently as yesterday at Carlisle.
