16:25 Ayr

Saturday 22 September 2018

All13:2514:0014:4015:1515:5016:2516:5517:30

William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 2m 16.16s

(1)

Erik The Red^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 97| D

14/1

Gained first success since a hat-trick in 2015 when a winner at Doncaster at the end of last summer, and has run respectably on both starts this season, coming from too far back when seventh in a big field at York last time.

Form: 0138-47

(3)

Mafaaheem⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: D Tudhope| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 95| D

11/2

Won on heavy ground at Nottingham last summer, and left a poor return well behind when second of 7 to Society Red over this trip at York in June. Conditions fine, and a big run looks in prospect.

Form: 2212-02

(6)

Aasheq²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 94| D

13/2

Recorded a hat-trick earlier in the year before failing to justify favouritism on his next two starts. Has finished weakly on his last couple of starts, though, and latest run was well below his best.

Form: 112360

(2)

Contango⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 88| BF| D

9/2

Best effort this season when close third of 7 at York in May, but hasn't gone on from that, although he's had excuses on occasion. Handicapper has given him a chance, and goes well with cut, so could bounce back.

Form: 2-83356

(8)

Indian Chief²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: J Fanning| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 86| D

16/1

Not firing of late, but just 1lb higher than when a close second behind Mutamaded at Ripon in April, and his last four wins have come on soft or heavy ground. Interesting.

Form: 762308

(5)

Collide^t¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: R Kingscote| T: H Palmer| OR: 88

6/4

From an excellent family, and has won both starts since debut on easy ground. Didn't have to improve to win easily at Carlisle last time, but has plenty of scope for further progress.

Form: 411

(4)

Glasses Up²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: J P Sullivan| T: R M Smith| OR: 86| CD

12/1

All three wins have come on a sound surface here, but handles easy ground well enough when fourth at Hamilton last month, and better than ever when second to Porth Swtan at Beverley last time. May yet do better given profile.

Form: 117428

(7)

Delph Crescent^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| D

9/1

Has improved to win three handicaps at up to this trip in recent months, but no obvious excuse when fourth of 9 to Porth Swtan at Beverley last time (behind Glasses Up), and may be reaching his limit in ratings terms.

Form: 211514

Non-Runners

(9)

Kings Gift²⁸

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: M Dods J: Callum Rodriguez

Forecasts

Collide (6/4), Contango (9/2), Mafaaheem (11/2), Aasheq (13/2), Kings Gift (7/1), Delph Crescent (9/1), Glasses Up (12/1), Erik The Red (14/1), Indian Chief (16/1)

A few of these are capable of stepping up on recent form now the ground has changed, with Contango and Indian Chief considered on that fact alone, but time may tell that they have no easy task conceding weight to the unexposed COLLIDE, and Hugo Palmer's exciting prospect is not overburdened for this handicap debut. Mafaaheem was a wide-margin winner on heavy last year, and rarely runs a poor race, so rates the main danger.