Christmas Tribute Nights At Ayr Racecourse Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 14:07 | Winning time: 5m 4.33s

Ofcourseiwill²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 119| D

13/2

Winner over hurdles and ran well when finishing 22L second in a 3m novices handicap chase at Bangor (good) earlier this month. Interesting down in trip and racing off the same mark in this contest.

Form: 122452

Trongate⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: I Jardine| OR: 117| C

5/4

Improving with racing since joining this yard and registered a first chase success when winning over an extended 2m5f at Kelso (good-to-firm) last time out. Leading contender despite a 7lb rise in the weights.

Form: 38-4321

Asum^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 114

40/1

Dual hurdles winner but has had jumping issues since switched to fences unseating his rider on his two most recent starts. Others make more appeal.

Form: 712-0UU

The Road Home^t¹⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 111WS

12/1

Maiden hurdle winner on good-to-soft ground over an extended 1m7f at Musselburgh in January. Disappointing since however and has had wind surgery since his chase debut in May.

Form: 81D30-4

Emerald Chieftan¹⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Menzies| OR: 110

14/1

Point-to-point winner in January and placed over hurdles on Rules debut at Sedgefield (2m4f, soft) in March. Decent sixth last time out and is of interesting on handicap and chase debut following a break.

Form: P/41266-

Strong Economy¹⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: I A Duncan| OR: 110| CD

4/1

Finished a neck third over an extended 2m5f at Ayr (soft) in a handicap chase in March. Brought down over hurdles subsequently and is an interesting runner on debut for a new yard following a break.

Form: 34423B-

Callthebarman³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: James Bowen| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 110

9/2

Twice a winner over hurdles earlier this year including in a 2m handicap contest at Kilbeggan (yielding-to-soft) in April. Below that form since and interesting to see how he fares on just his second start over fences.

Form: 198806

Forecasts

Trongate (5/4), Strong Economy (4/1), Callthebarman (9/2), Ofcourseiwill (13/2), The Road Home (12/1), Emerald Chieftan (14/1), Asum (40/1)

TRONGATE can follow up his Kelso victory by taking this competitive looking novices handicap chase. The selection looks capable of getting the better of top weight Ofcourseiwill who ran well over further on his most recent outing while third place can go to Callthebarman who is switched to handicaps having contested a beginners chase last time.