News Scotland Handicap

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 2m 8.72s

(6)

Mordin²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: J Mitchell| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 94| BF| D

5/4

200,000 gns juvenile who has run to a high standard on each of his five career starts (1m-1m2f), but continues to climb in the weights; no match for Plutonian at Windsor last month (1m2f) but versatile in terms of ground conditions.

Form: 1-1122

(5)

Mooltazem⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: P Mulrennan| T: M Dods| OR: 88| D

3/1

Looks to be thriving at present, and followed up a luckless second at Ripon (1m2f) - form solid - with an authoritative win at Haydock (1m2f good to firm); major player off a 6lb higher mark despite the rise in grade.

Form: 2-02021

(1)

Super Kid^t1²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 87| D

11/1

Ex Godolphin; off the track for 27 months until returning at Ripon in April, but has got progressively worse in two subsequent starts (dropped 9lb); this trip is more suitable but is one to have obvious reservations about; tongue tie applied.

Form: 152/300

(2)

Oasis Fantasy¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-11| J: P J McDonald| T: D M Simcock| OR: 84| BF

5/1

Not won since May 2016 (1m4f, Newmarket), but more competitive in a lesser race at Brighton (1m4f firm) earlier this month when beaten just under 2L by Genetics; has never previously won over 1m2f.

Form: 396-052

(3)

Testa Rossa^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-8| J: Barry McHugh| T: J S Goldie| OR: 81| CD

12/1

Has developed into somewhat of a Tapeta specialist, but crucially is also effective at this track (four wins here between 1m-1m2f), and was beaten just a nose by Speed Company in this race in 2017; handicap mark gradually receding.

Form: 5-13040

(4)

Gworn²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-3| J: J P Sullivan| T: R M Smith| OR: 76| CD

9/1

Returns to his favoured stomping ground; Class 4 winner at this two-day fixture in 2017; a race in which he's also declared for on Friday Evening; trip and ground fine but a watching brief to see if he takes his chance.

Form: 407-528

Forecasts

Mordin (5/4), Mooltazem (3/1), Oasis Fantasy (5/1), Gworn (9/1), Super Kid (11/1), Testa Rossa (12/1)

Gworm is also declared to race on Friday Evening, so his participation must be questionable, whilst the 2017 runner up and fellow Ayr (and Tapeta) specialist Testa Rossa meets stronger opponents this time around. Mordin is a late developing horse on the upgrade who'll be very tough to beat given his rock-solid formlines, but the Michael Dods-trained MOOLTAZEM appears to have truly blossomed this month and could prove strong enough to make the step-up in grade just nine days on from his authoritative 1m2f Haydock win.