12:30 Ayr

Tuesday 2 January 2018

All12:3013:0013:3514:1014:4015:1015:45

Racing UK Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 5m 47.87s

Blunder Buss³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 118

2/1

Two good efforts so far this term over timber and kept on well enough when third over C&D last time, trying soft ground for the first time. Good chance if handling these even more testing conditions.

Form: 06223

Carrickcross Boye²³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine

66/1

Showed very little under Rules in Ireland and only marginally better between the flags last season. Looks out of his depth and would be a very surprising winner.

Form: 5FP3P-3

Caventara⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Cook| T: A M Thomson

11/2

Didn't show a great deal in two starts last season for Nick Williams but there was a better show on debut for current yard at Hexham last time when third in heavy ground. Needs to improve again but that is not ruled out.

Form: 6P-3

In Our Blood^p1⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: N McKnight| OR: 86

25/1

21-race maiden under both codes in Ireland. First start for new connections and no guarantee that he will see out this longer trip given the very demanding underfoot conditions. May be best watched for now.

Form: 00030

Okey Dokey¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: P Griffin

33/1

Maiden point-to-pointer who pulled up on Rules debut earlier this term but did a little better last time when sixth at Newcastle at big odds. More to do and any market support would be of interest.

Form: FUP3P6

Sunny Destination¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

25/1

Handled soft ground well enough in three starts in bumpers, including when runner-up on debut here 13 months ago. Type to de better over hurdles and looks a likely sort given the generally modest opposition.

Form: 2-65

Ardean Lass^h1,t¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: S R B Crawford

11/4

Probably needed the run when well beaten fourth here recently but had shown enough in previous two runs at similar level to suggest she has a chance in a race such as this. First-time tongue-tie should help her cause.

Form: 23135-4

Berkshire Downs^p,t²⁶⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 107

7/2

17-race maiden who returns from nine month absence and has good claims on balance of form, including in heavy ground. Yard going well at the moment so has to enter calculations.

Form: 2822P4-

Forecasts

Blunder Buss (2/1), Ardean Lass (11/4), Berkshire Downs (7/2), Caventara (11/2), Sunny Destination (25/1), In Our Blood (25/1), Okey Dokey (33/1), Carrickcross Boye (66/1)

BLUNDER BUSS is narrowly preferred to Sunny Destination in a race where there is quite a lot of dead wood. The selection has run well on each of his last two starts and a similar level of form might just be enough with fitness guaranteed. Sunny Destination will also strip fitter for a recent run and has every chance of making a proper race of it. Okey Dokey may find a race in due course, while Ardean Lass and Berkshire Downs cannot be ruled out of the reckoning.