Timeform highlight their best bets for Saturday in the form of a ratings banker, big improver and a Flag of note.
The Ratings Banker
Al Dancer – 15:55 Newbury
Al Dancer stands out on the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings against his four rivals in this handicap chase over just short of two and a half miles. Sam Thomas has tried a few different things with him this season, campaigning him over trips from two miles to three and over both hurdles and fences, and while he turned in his best effort for his current stable when third to Destined To Shine over two miles at Chepstow last time, he left the firm impression that the return to further here will suit him a lot better.
That was also Al Dancer’s first try in cheekpieces, which are retained here, while he has a tongue tie added this time. A former Betfair Hurdle winner in his younger days with Nigel Twiston-Davies, Al Dancer is now on a career-low mark over fences and he can take advantage of that for his up-and-coming and in-form yard in what looks a very winnable contest.
The Big Improver
Sounds Russian – 13:50 Ayr
The weights in this novices’ handicap chase are headed by Dusart who was a good fifth to L’Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last time and makes plenty of appeal from an opening mark of 147. But he could have his work cut out against the highly progressive Sounds Russian from Ruth Jefferson’s stable. Having only made his racecourse debut over hurdles at the beginning of the current season, Sounds Russian hasn’t looked back since quickly having his attentions switched to the larger obstacles last autumn.
He got off the mark in impressive fashion by ten lengths at Sedgefield and has since won twice more by even wider margins at Kelso, always going best and pulling well clear in the straight for a 22-length victory last time over Niceandeasy who has won since. This will be Sounds Russian’s toughest assignment to date, but he seems sure to make a bold bid to defy another hike in the weights and complete the four-timer.
The Timeform Flag
Anna Bunina – 14:25 Ayr
Top Rated, Horses For Courses
The first two from last year’s Scottish Champion Hurdle, Milkwood and Anna Bunina, meet again in this year’s race. But meeting her conqueror on almost a stone better terms this time, there’s a compelling case for John McConnell’s mare turning the tables from a 5 lb lower mark than twelve months ago.
Anna Bunina has the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag as she put up a career-best effort at Ayr on that occasion, and she shaped as though being brought to her peak again for this time of year on her latest visit to Scotland. That came in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh in February when she kept on for third behind Socialist Agenda who re-opposes on much worse terms here.
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