14:45 Ayr

Saturday 22 April 2017

All13:3513:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle (Grade 2 Limited Handicap)

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 3m 43.5s

L'Ami Serge³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 155

8/1

Great effort when beaten just a neck by a top opponent in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last time from 3lb lower. Ultra-consistent, though not easy to win with and should again emerge as a leading contender.

Form: 223325

Sceau Royal³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Kevin Dowling⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A King| OR: 155

8/1

Grade Two winner earlier in the season and not far behind Yanworth at Wincanton in February either. Sixth in the Champion Hurdle last time, arguably outperforming his 25/1 SP and can get much closer to a win here with a very useful 10lb claim.

Form: 106-114

Peace And Co^h1⁴⁰³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 144

12/1

2015 Triumph Hurdle winner, though has problems since and limited to just three runs in that time, showing form in only one of them. First start since pulled up in last year's Champion Hurdle and hood on today. Maestro trainer might just be capable of working the oracle, though even from this attractive mark some fingers need to be crossed.

Form: 1163P/0-

Chesterfield¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 143

12/1

Comes here on the back of success in a very competitive Aintree handicap last time, when he scored by a heavily-eased 5L. Up 11lb for that and now taking on some real big boys, but you could not fail to be impressed and his chance is very much respected.

Form: 1211F/

Tommy Silver⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137

7/1

Won two of his three starts this calendar year, though definite concern that he was never able to get in a blow in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. Trip may have been a sizeable excuse for that and has a Plumpton confidence-booster to his name since then, for which he carries a penalty today.

Form: 571016-

Winter Escape³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: A King| OR: 141

5/1

Lightly-raced and well placed so far over hurdles. Ran a cracker to be fifth in the County Hurdle in which he finished around 2½L behind L'Ami Serge in receipt of 12lb. 2lb better off today and less exposed than that opponent, so could be more to come. Leading player.

Form: 111-0

Zubayr¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 138

12/1

Won a Grade Two and a further novices' contest last season but has been unable to cope with marks in the 140s in handicaps this time around. Handicapper beginning to relent, though not seen enough recently to suggest that he will be winning from this mark today.

Form: 3F5062-

Ozzie The Oscar³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

10/1

Tremendous run to be third in the County Hurdle last time. Beaten a neck by L'Ami Serge there and meets him on the same terms today. Less exposed than that good yardstick and entirely possible that he could reverse the placings today. Claims.

Form: 3111-2

Bertimont^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: P J Brennan| T: D Skelton| OR: 136

18/1

Last win was way back in 2014 and although he ran well on a couple of occasions at Taunton earlier in the campaign he struggled at Cheltenham last time and it is not easy to envisage him ending the drought in a competitive heat like this.

Form: 26277/8

Hawk High^b¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: B S Hughes| T: T D Easterby| OR: 135

20/1

Looked to have each-way claims at both Cheltenham and Aintree, though could not deliver on that promise on either occasion. Without a win since October 2014 and despite a 3lb drop, recent evidence suggests that he will have his work cut out to get competitive.

Form: 320/59-3

Vosne Romanee^b,t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 135

40/1

Went in to both Cheltenham and Aintree with fitness on his side after an All Weather Flat win in February. Failed to fire on either big occasion, however and it takes some imagination to see him winning this from just 2lb lower than his last start.

Form: 1/1-074P

Baltimore Rock^t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Adrian Heskin| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 135

40/1

Sliding in the weights now after a string of defeats, but never competitive when his jumping lacked fluency in the County Hurdle and looks to have too much on his plate again today.

Form: 73/12F-4

London Prize⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 134

10/1

Consistent performer over hurdles, aside from one blip and comes here on the back of an Imperial Cup win last time (2m, soft). Forecast ground no problem here and from 7lb higher he should give a very good account if that performance did not take too much out of him.

Form: 312F17-

Mohaayed^t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 134

5/1

Has shown some very respectable form since joining current yard for this season, winning once at Taunton against novices and then running a blinder to be seventh at 16/1 in the County Hurdle last time, his handicap debut. Finished behind three of today's rivals there but doesn't have much to find and he is a player.

Form: 24173-

Intense Tango^t⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Mr J J O'Neill⁽⁷⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 133

50/1

Grade Two mares' hurdle winner at Doncaster two years ago and after taking on some top opponents she takes to handicapping for the first time. Struggling for form of late, however and hard to see her being up to winning this.

Form: 35256-4

Traditional Dancer⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: I Jardine| OR: 133

33/1

10lb higher than when winning a Carlisle handicap hurdle in October. Has gone well from higher marks than that since, though pick of his form gives him no more than each-way claims.

Form: 11P330-

Forecasts

Mohaayed (5/1), Winter Escape (5/1), Tommy Silver (7/1), L'Ami Serge (8/1), Sceau Royal (8/1), London Prize (10/1), Ozzie The Oscar (10/1), Chesterfield (12/1), Zubayr (12/1), Peace And Co (12/1), Bertimont (18/1), Hawk High (20/1), Traditional Dancer (33/1), Vosne Romanee (40/1), Baltimore Rock (40/1), Intense Tango (50/1)

L'Ami Serge is a great yardstick after his County Hurdle run. He is usually at his most potent on softer going and is also thoroughly exposed, in spite of his class. Therefore, the suggestion is to take him on with SCEAU ROYAL, who has a huge claim to benefit from and ran as well as could be expected in the Champion Hurdle last time. Stablemate Winter Escape can also go well, while Chesterfield is feared after his tremendous run at Aintree and Ozzie The Oscar also has improvement in him. Of the remainder, Mohaayed should go well and if there is to be a fly in the ointment than an attractively-handicapped Peace And Co could be the one.