17:50 Ayr

Saturday 21 April 2018

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1517:50

Starrett Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 17:50 | Winning time: 3m 39.50s

Black Pirate⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart| CD

7/1

Point-to-point winner over 2m4f and undefeated in two starts under Rules. Latest of those a facile C&D success in a three-runner contest. More needed here but yard in fine form and can't be ruled out if he handles the quicker ground.

Form: 1-11

Midas Gold²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: B Ellison| D

40/1

Won at Southwell on debut and shaped okay at Carlisle on return from a long break before fading late. Yard have a 31% strike-rate in bumpers over the last 12 months so has to be respected.

Form: 1-7

Precious Cargo^t⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| BF| CD

12/1

Yeats gelding, cost £35,000 as a three-year-old and dam won a bumper. Winner over C&D on debut but no match for an impressive winner here last time. Likely to need more here.

Form: 12

Sporting Press³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| D

14/1

Improved from Rules debut having had a wind operation on second start at Musselburgh last month. Form of that race done no favours since but likely to be more to come and may improve if he settles better.

Form: F4-2F31

Anemoi⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: H Whittington

5/1

Manduro geldding, cost €24,000 as a two-year-old. Won a bumper on debut at Huntingdon over 1m5½f. Yard have had five winners from 29 runners in the last 12 months and Champion Jockey booked to ride. May improve for the step up in trip.

Form: 1

Peters Cousin³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| BF

16/1

Presenting mare, cost €20,000 as a three-year-old and £80,000 as a four-year-old. Winner on debut but beaten odds-on favourite at Sedgefield last time and she will need more here.

Form: 12

Potters Tale^t1⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen

20/1

Ran well on debut but no match for the winner and too keen at Kempton on return in February. First-time tongie-tie replaces the hood and others bring better form to the table.

Form: 26

Senior Citizen⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

16/1

Tobougg gelding, cost £9,200 as a yearling and €25,000 as a three-year-old. 6L runner-up in a point-to-point and too keen on rules debut at Towcester last time. Yard quiet and others make more appeal.

Form: 23

Shankill Castle¹⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith

33/1

Very disappointing on first couple of starts in Ireland but showed improved form when not beaten all that far at Fakenham last time. Still likely to need another sizable step forward here.

Form: 3D6

All Hail Caesar

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: R Menzies

33/1

Nathaniel gelding, cost €54,000 as a foal, €40,000 as a yearling and 29,000 gns as a three-year-old. Dam a Listed Flat winner and half-sister to two Group winners. Yard not had a bumper winner in 26 runners and others preferred.

Form:

Enlighten⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Harry Bannister| T: M & D Easterby

14/1

Kayf Tara gelding, half-brother to a Flat winner and dam a half-sister to a Listed Flat winner. Some promise on debut in a Musselburgh bumper, getting the hang of things late on. Needs more here but improvement expected.

Form: 3

Leostar³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: A C Whillans

20/1

Improved from debut at Musselburgh to place in two subsequent bumpers and only narrowly failed to get up back at that course latest. Yard not had a bumper winner from eight runners in the last year.

Form: 532

Magna Sam⁵⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: R T Dunne| T: S Flook

66/1

Well beaten on sole point-to-point start and finished well beaten at Chepstow debut under Rules when unfancied last time. Hard to fancy.

Form: 59

New Moon

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

3/1

Kapgarde colt, cost €115,000 as a yearling. Dam a full-sister to two useful chasers and half-sister to Grade 1 hurdle winner. Makes plenty of appeal on paper and yard have won five of the last 10 renewals of this. First string on jockey bookings.

Form:

Sebastopol¹⁰⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: T Lacey

3/1

Fame And Glory gelding, cost €52,000 as a three-year-old. Dam a winner over hurdles and half-sister to bumper winner. Easy winner over only point-to-point start and yard in flying form of late. Has to be of interest.

Form: 1

Non-Runners

Igor

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: N J Henderson J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen

Lomachenko

Weight: 10-9| Age: 4

T: S R B Crawford J: D A Jacob

Montego Grey

Weight: 10-9| Age: 4

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Forecasts

Sebastopol (3/1), New Moon (3/1), Anemoi (5/1), Igor (6/1), Black Pirate (7/1), Precious Cargo (12/1), Montego Grey (12/1), Lomachenko (12/1), Enlighten (14/1), Sporting Press (14/1), Senior Citizen (16/1), Peters Cousin (16/1), Potters Tale (20/1), Leostar (20/1), All Hail Caesar (33/1), Shankill Castle (33/1), Midas Gold (40/1), Magna Sam (66/1)

Nicky Henderson may hold the key to this race having won five of the last 10 renewals and given that NEW MOON is the stables first-string on jockey bookings, he looks like the one to beat with an eye-catching pedigree. Stablemate Igor is respected while Sebastopol and Lomachenko both represent yards in form who do well in this sphere.