15:05 Ayr

Monday 23 July 2018

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

QTS Ladies Night On 11 August Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 1m 30.35s

(10)

Royal Duchess⁶²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 66| CD

9/2

Four-time C&D winner who will appreciate any further ease in conditions; runner-up off a similar mark when last in action here in May (good to firm).

Form: 4347-72

(2)

Jessie Allan⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: George Downing| T: J S Goldie| OR: 59| C

17/2

Carries a 6lb penalty for her 6f win here last week (33/1), and this game, honest mare is now 3-6 after being 0-40 until late May; shouldn't be at all inconvenienced by the longer trip with plenty of placed form over 7f in the past.

Form: 115051

(7)

Robben Rainbow¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 59| D

7/2

Largely consistent in 2018 without necessarily appearing to be progressive; led near the finish when scoring at Catterick recently (7f, good to firm) and respectable efforts at this track prior; chance.

Form: 945431

(1)

Be Bold^b¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Connor Beasley| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 58| BF| D

14/1

Five-time winner in 55 starts; 28/1 and led his rivals a merry dance when making all at Thirsk in April (7f, good to soft), but not quite strong enough since; 4lb higher mark demands more; rain would suit.

Form: 770165

(4)

Ventura Royal⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 64| D

5/1

Drops in trip and to a career low mark after racing too keenly over the extended mile at Hamilton recently (third); her sole win came over this 7f trip at Redcar in September 2017 (good to soft); less exposed than some (eight starts).

Form: 31-0753

(6)

Jack Blane^p¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 48| D

14/1

12-race turf maiden (2 from 18 on AW), but slipped to a favourable mark with his trainer returning to form; beaten just under 2L when finishing third to False ID at Wolverhampton recently (7f, standard).

Form: 700003

(8)

Mecca's Spirit^b1¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Paula Muir⁽⁷⁾| T: M Dods| OR: 54

4/1

Cost 120,000gns as a yearling, but remains a maiden after eight starts; dropped 1lb since finishing a held fourth behind impressive winner Travel Lightly (second since) over C&D latest; first-time blinkers applied.

Form: 48-5464

(11)

Iconic Figure^p⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 45

28/1

0-28, and the initial optimism when switched to Phil Kirby is slowly beginning to diminish; not beaten all that far over 6f at Hamilton latest (50/1), but a surprise if he proves to be the solution.

Form: 630596

(3)

Let Right Be Done^b,h⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: T Eaves| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 45| CD

20/1

C&D winner in July 2017 (good to soft), but bar a decent run at Musselburgh in June has largely been below-par in 2018; handicap mark slipping, and this is undoubtedly his level of opposition, but others are preferred.

Form: 5-08360

(9)

Irvine Lady^h¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: R M Smith| OR: 45

18/1

17-race maiden, reluctant to enter the stalls and never able to challenge from off the pace over C&D recently (fifth); could progress for that run - her first start since March - and under stronger handling from PJ McDonald.

Form: 00-8655

Non-Runners

(5)

Naples Bay⁷

Weight: 9-13| Age: 4

T: J & S Quinn J: Jason Hart

Forecasts

Robben Rainbow (7/2), Mecca's Spirit (4/1), Royal Duchess (9/2), Ventura Royal (5/1), Naples Bay (6/1), Jessie Allan (17/2), Be Bold (14/1), Jack Blane (14/1), Irvine Lady (18/1), Let Right Be Done (20/1), Iconic Figure (28/1)

Not a deep race so last time out winners Robben Rainbow and Jessie Allan should prove competitive, with the latter upped in trip, but unlikely to be troubled by doing so having shown plenty of placed form over 7f in the past (including on the demanding Tapeta surface at Newcastle). Royal Duchess is a four-time C&D winner who will be aided by any additional rainfall, but with the Keith Dalgleish string starting to really hit form, a chance is taken on the turf maiden JACK BLANE. He has slipped to a favourable mark and showed signs of a return to form at Wolverhampton (third) on his most recent outing.