14:00 Ayr

Monday 23 July 2018

All13:3014:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4017:10

Best Flat Races Live On Racing UK Handicap

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 1m 12.8s

(11)

Vallarta¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 61| CD

5/1

Fairly consistent on the whole this season, and raised 3lb for his C&D win a fortnight ago where he beat Irish raider Your Pal Tal by a head, with plenty of today's rivals further behind; major player if able to reproduce at his favoured track.

Form: 95D461

(3)

Duncan Of Scotland^b¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: C J McGovern⁽⁵⁾| T: L Smyth| OR: 61| BF| CD

9/4

C&D winner with fairly respectable form figures at this track overall (4,5,1,7,2,3,3); dropped 2lb since finishing just under 5L third to Dirchill over C&D (good to firm) a fortnight ago; trainer doubly represented.

Form: 30-0433

(8)

Laughton^p1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 60

9/1

Attractively handicapped, but struggling to make the most of his reduced mark, and fair to say that he continues to disappoint (rated as high as 83 in August 2016); first-time cheekpieces applied.

Form: 297509

(9)

Palavicini Run¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: D Nolan| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 59

33/1

Formerly trained in Ireland by J F Levins, and back from a break with back-to-back starts (5f-6f) over the course of a 24 hour period earlier this month; limited promise there and seemingly held by a few of these rivals.

Form: 605-976

(4)

Star Cracker⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: P J McDonald| T: J S Goldie| OR: 57| C| D

7/1

His last six starts have come at this track, but he's not bettered his neck second to Naples Bay (C&D) in May; finished sixth behind a couple of stablemates latest, but closely matched with Duncan Of Scotland on earlier form.

Form: 256446

(10)

Racquet¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: P Hanagan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 56| CD

11/1

Stablemate of Vallarta; and twice a C&D winner himself from higher marks in 2017 (good/good to soft); however, hard to get wildly excited about his more recent quick ground form, and only of interest if a deluge arrives (not forecast).

Form: 717080

(5)

Supaulette²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 54

13/2

Hasn't much in the way of experience, but is lowly-rated and represents a trainer in-form; slowly away, but made eye-catching late headway on handicap debut at Wolverhampton (third) three weeks ago; realistic option.

Form: 6973

(2)

Cobbler Quinn²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Connor Beasley| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 54

33/1

Dropped back in trip (5f) for handicap debut at Hamillton three weeks ago, but fair to say that was a disappointing effort (weakened after racing prominently); dropped 2lb and needs to take a step forward in order to figure.

Form: 7-046

(1)

Brendan⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: George Downing| T: J S Goldie| OR: 45

9/1

Sizeable stablemate of Star Cracker; 15-race maiden who has become an Ayr regular, running his best race over 5f here earlier this month when beaten just ½L by Lexington Place; held by Vallarta on more recent form.

Form: 658244

(6)

House Of Cards⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 46

14/1

Eight-race maiden; beaten just under 2L when finishing third to Vallarta (more of today's rivals in behind), but slowly away and finished last of nine over C&D last week; opposed on balance.

Form: 790639

(7)

Silvana Maria^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁷⁾| T: L Smyth| OR: 45

33/1

Making her first start for four months (handicap debut) when finishing sixth of nine to Vallarta over C&D recently; dropped 3lb since and trainer also saddles Duncan Of Scotland.

Form: 80-06

Forecasts

Duncan Of Scotland (9/4), Vallarta (5/1), Supaulette (13/2), Star Cracker (7/1), Laughton (9/1), Brendan (9/1), Racquet (11/1), House Of Cards (14/1), Silvana Maria (33/1), Palavicini Run (33/1), Cobbler Quinn (33/1)

VALLARTA likes the Scottish sea air, and disposed of a number of today's rivals including House Of Cards and Brendan when making most under a positive James Sullivan ride over C&D two weeks ago, and a subsequent 3lb rise looks to be perfectly fair. Whilst the form-book tells us plenty about the majority of these horses, the least exposed pair are Supaulette and Cobbler Queen, so that pair are worthy of close market monitoring.