15:15 Ayr
Monday 10 July 2017
All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:5016:2516:5517:30
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- 4YO plus | Class 5 | 1m 5f 26y | Good to Soft | 11 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 2m 59.82s
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From last year's winning stable the top weight completed a hat-trick last year with the first win coming over 2m so this trip will hold no fears although all those wins came with cut in the ground. Not quite back to his best after much needed reappearance run at Doncaster last time he showed that he was capable of better but would seem to need the rain to come and has a little work to do with Braes of Lochalsh who finished second.
Progressed gradually as a three-year-old winning back-to-back handicaps over 1m6f at Redcar and Carlisle the first off a mark of 65 and the second under a 6lb penalty. Has been a little disappointing this year in both his runs at Thirsk and York being far too free on the first occasion and failing to come on for that run last time. His mark is getting back near his last winning one but still has questions to answer.
Just one win to his name so far and that came at Redcar when he was upped in trip to 1m6f at Redcar and scored at his 11th attempt. Hadn't really got going this before the enforced break for the yard this year but shaped well last time out as the yard resumed operations. That came over a trip that looked far too short (1m2f) and he did an awful lot of running to try and catch a runaway leader (Save The Bees). Could well appreciate a return to further here and of interest given his last run.
The winner of this race in 2015 off a mark of 63 he followed up over C&D off a 5lb higher mark on slightly softer ground. His only win since then came at Doncaster over further on heavy ground off 73. He's been gradually working his way back to his best this year with the visor looking to have perked him up on his last two starts over C&D (beaten by stablemate Euchan Glen) and coming second again at Doncaster last time (ran well but possibly didn't relish the battle as much as the winner).
Irish raider from a stable that have done well here in the past but has still to win a race in any sphere. Last few turf runs have been moderate to say the least and he'll do well to figure here with hopes pinned on another change of headgear.
The second Irish challenger in the race and his losing run is starting to look rather alarming now with the last win coming at Galway nearly two years ago. Last two runs haven't really promised that much although he did travel well to a point last time at the Curragh (1m4f) before failing to find anything and best watched here.
Scored on her second run this season stepping up on her reappearance run to win at Wolverhampton over 1m6f off 58 but appeared to have little in hand. Proved consistent subsequently especially in her last three runs at Musselburgh but may just need to ease slightly again in the handicap to be of winning interest.
Useful hurdler (five-time winner and rated 136) and has also won over fences but not seen on the Flat since 2013 over 1m6f at Ballinrobe in a handicap off a mark of 60. Given his hurdles mark he's potentially interesting here off a mark of 58 after two hurdles runs for his current yard.
You have to go a long way back for his sole Flat win which came in a Goodwood 1m2f maiden on September 2012 with his only subsequent wins coming over obstacles when trained by Alan King. Has tumbled in the weights in that sphere for his current yard and shown little and ran only to a modest level returned to the Flat last time out at Hamilton over 1m4f.
Both his wins so far have come on the AW with the latest being recorded last time out at Newcastle over 2m. Still looked to have his quirks in that race as he was typically slow away and wandered around when taking the lead. His turf form is rather patchy but he obviously stays well although he'll have to show he can handle the rise in grade but does run off his lower turf mark (rated 64 on AW).
Now approaching the veteran stage but needs no introduction around here where he has an excellent course record only finishing out of the frame once in seven runs here and won over C&D in May. He was capitalizing on a falling mark in a weak race but he ran well again next time out again over C&D with only a change of tactics (tried to make all) contributing to his defeat last time.
Non-Runners
4
(2)
Falcon's Fire9
Weight: 9-2| Age: 4
T: K Dalgleish J: Rowan Scott
NR
Forecasts
Braes Of Lochalsh (5/2), Guitar Pete (3/1), Whitecliff Park (13/2), Jonny Delta (9/1), Transpennine Star (10/1), Torremar (14/1), Alphabetical Order (14/1), Cosmic Tigress (16/1), Falcon's Fire (16/1), Uriah Heep (25/1), Shamar (33/1), Glenbank King (50/1)
The longest race on the eight-race card and like many if not all of the other handicaps a tricky puzzle to solve with Guitar Pete really well treated back on the Flat based on his hurdles mark. Whitecliff Park looks another progressive sort but can he transfer that form from the AW to the turf while Torremar will appreciate the return to this sort of trip. A few of the others like Alphabetical Order and Jonny Delta could get involved the former especially if there is plenty of rain. BRAES OF LOCHALSH won this two years ago and looks to be working his way back to his best for a yard that do well here and this might just be run to suit him.
- Braes Of Lochalsh
- Guitar Pete
- Torremar
Prize Money
1st: £3,881.002nd: £1,155.003rd: £577.004th: £289.00
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