14:00 Ayr

Thursday 20 September 2018

All13:3014:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4517:20

J.H. Commercials Handicap

Off time: 14:02 | Winning time: 1m 32.99s

(7)

Truth Or Dare²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: J D Bethell| OR: 84| D

9/1

Infrequent winner (3-40), and slightly disappointing since finishing third of 18 to Medahim at Glorious Goodwood (7f, Class 3, good) in August; has won on soft previously (2017).

Form: 505360

(2)

Roller^b1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 84

10/1

Hindered by a wide draw at Sandown latest (1m, good), but fully capable of making a positive impression at this level with cut underfoot; interesting to see if the blinkers help.

Form: 326-646

(9)

Right Action¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 83| D

18/1

Effective under most conditions, and 2lb below his last winning mark (7f, Catterick, good to soft), but not as strong as in the early part of the season, so needs to bounce back.

Form: 805077

(3)

Tawny Port³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: T Eaves| T: J G Given| OR: 83| C

7/1

Solid overall record on turf (5-12); campaigned on the AW this summer on account of quick ground; 4lb higher than when winning a 6f nursery at the Western meeting in 2016 (good to soft); conditions favourable - trip less so.

Form: 618836

(13)

Glengarry⁴³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 82| D

33/1

Runner-up to Tommy G over C&D in May (good to firm), but not at that level of form when last appearing in early July; eased in the weights, but has done the bulk of his racing on a sound surface; trainer saddles three.

Form: 30/2257-

(8)

Iron Sky⁹^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Connor Beasley| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 79| D

6/1

Notched a second Catterick win when returning to form (7f, good) last week; races under a 6lb penalty (only due a 5lb rise), but is relatively unexposed after just eight starts and rates as the pick of his trainers three runners.

Form: 421481

(11)

Angel Of Darkness²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Harry Bentley| T: C Hills| OR: 81

16/1

Hasn't won since June 2017, and yet to score beyond 6f; still 3lb above her last winning mark, but was competitive off this perch at Newmarket (7f, good to firm) in June when beaten just over 1L by Homeopathic; handles good to soft.

Form: 6-70280

(1)

Saint Equiano⁸³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: G Lee| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 80| C| D

10/1

6f Ayr maiden winner as a juvenile (soft); beaten ¾L by Alemaratalyoum over C&D in June (good to firm), and competes from a similar mark today off an 83-day absence; place chance for a trainer who saddles three runners.

Form: 98-0423

(10)

Magic City⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 79| D

20/1

9yo; winner of 10 of his 70 career starts; 2lb higher than when seeing off 19 others at York (7f, good) in May; handles cut; finished 18th of 24 in the Bronze Cup (6f) of 2016 on his sole previous Ayr start.

Form: 410805

(5)

Queen's Sargent²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: S A Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 81| D

7/1

Encounters cut in the ground for the first time since winning unchallenged (made all) at Musselburgh in March (7f, maiden); although the ground could feasibly be the key for him, his form in handicaps isn't strong enough to tempt.

Form: 8-16090

(14)

Chai Chai³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 81| BF| D

11/2

Sits 7lb higher than when winning at Chester in July (7½f good), and in truth that's probably plenty high enough; no worries whatsoever about the soft ground, but requires a career best effort in order to score.

Form: 355175

(6)

Tiercel^p1¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 78

28/1

2-7 (dual 1m AW winner) for previous handler Roger Varian, before moving on for 17,000gns in February; poor in three starts for this stable (dropped 7lb in the weights), and the cheekpieces are now applied.

Form: 1/73-009

(4)

Golden Slam²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: David Egan| T: R Varian| OR: 77| D

15/2

Has raced on ground softer than good on just two occasions, winning both times at Lingfield (6f, soft), and more latterly at Yarmouth (7f, good to soft); 6lb above his last winning mark, but merits respect in these conditions.

Form: 1/56410

Non-Runners

(12)

Scofflaw³¹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: R A Fahey J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Chai Chai (11/2), Iron Sky (6/1), Queen's Sargent (7/1), Tawny Port (7/1), Golden Slam (15/2), Truth Or Dare (9/1), Saint Equiano (10/1), Roller (10/1), Angel Of Darkness (16/1), Right Action (18/1), Magic City (20/1), Scofflaw (20/1), Tiercel (28/1), Glengarry (33/1)

An open contest in which a number of the runners appear likely to be well suited by the presenting soft ground. The selection GOLDEN SLAM features most prominently amongst that particular group of horses. He was a 7f Yarmouth winner on his penultimate start, and although 6lb higher here in a more competitive race, encouragingly he's 2-2 on ground described as softer than good. Roller had excuses at Sandown latest, and is an interesting proposition in the newly applied headgear, whilst others to consider include Angel of Darkness and the recent Catterick scorer Iron Sky who rates as the standout contender of the Keith Dalgleish-trained trio.