15:45 Ayr

Wednesday 2 January 2019

All12:3013:0013:3514:1014:4015:1015:45

Happy New Year From Ayr Racecourse Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 4m 5.5s

Curramore¹³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile

20/1

Won a good ground Sligo bumper (2m2f) when last seen in August. Changed hands for £26,000 since and makes British debut under a penalty on soft ground. Has to be respected, but will need improvement.

Form: 6-61

Arnica

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander

16/1

14,000gns four-year-old. Third foal. Brother to 2m hurdle winner Included. Dam 1m3f AW winner only start. Stable in good form, but only 4% strike rate in this discipline over the past five seasons.

Form:

Bushmill Boy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: D W Whillans

7/2

£3,500 at three. Sixth foal. Dam 2m1f hurdle winner, half-sister to smart 2m hurdle/chase (inc USA) winner Makari and bumper/3m hurdle/3m1f chase winner Autograph. In-form stable is 14% in this sphere. Market check.

Form:

Holme Abbey⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: N G Richards

4/1

11-4 and ran green on debut when 9L sixth here on heavy ground. Good yard has a 29% bumper strike rate over past five seasons. Useful 7lb claimer again assigned and he could leave that first run behind this time. Claims.

Form: 6

Lily's Gem²⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: S R B Crawford

13/8

Ran well in all three starts in this discipline last season, winning the last of those comfortably at Carlisle (soft) in April. Carries a penalty for that, but is entitled to make the short-list on her reappearance.

Form: 321-

Looks Like Murt⁶⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

9/2

Bought for £20,000 after finishing runner-up in an Irish point-to-point in May 2017. Dam was well held in bumpers and stable's strike rate a modest 7% in this sphere, so may be one to watch on debut.

Form: 2-

Metro Boulot Dodo²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: D Bourke

16/1

Ran with greater promise than his 80-1 SP suggested he might on debut in a Newcastle bumper (good to soft) last month. 8L fifth there, but can probably improve for the experience and make more impact this time.

Form: 6-65

Trans Des Obeaux

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: R Ross

33/1

Not sold at £1,800 as a yearling First reported foal. Dam 1m4f AQPS Flat/triple point-to-point winner, half-sister to French 2m-2m3f hurdle/chase winner Leon Des Obeaux. Stable 0-3 in bumpers in past five seasons.

Form:

Galahill²⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Young Jnr

100/1

First foal of a maiden in point-to-points/bumpers. Grandam a moderate 2m hurdle winner. Showed nothing in point-to-points. Can only watch on rules debut.

Form: 0U-P

Weave Some Magic

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: T Reed

22/1

2,000gns foal, €21,000 at three. Fifth foal. Half-brother to winners including Hazel Brook (bumper). Dam bumper winner, out of Flat/1m7f-2m2f hurdle winner. Stable not known for bumper winners, but could be worth a market check.

Form:

Forecasts

Lily's Gem (13/8), Bushmill Boy (7/2), Holme Abbey (4/1), Looks Like Murt (9/2), Metro Boulot Dodo (16/1), Arnica (16/1), Curramore (20/1), Weave Some Magic (22/1), Trans Des Obeaux (33/1), Galahill (100/1)

Previous winners Lily's Gem and Curramore have to shoulder penalties here, which could pave the way for HOLME ABBEY, who was a bit too green on debut, but could come good this time. Bushmill Boy is the most interesting newcomer, while Metro Boulot Dodo is a potential improver.