Ayton Castle Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 6m 2.2s

Cultram Abbey⁴⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 134| CD

9/2

Useful stayer who stayed on strongly to win under this jockey over C&D (good to soft) last month. Up 5lb for that, acts on good, but tries to do what he has not yet managed here, and win back-to-back races.

Form: 1/41PP1-

Viens Chercher^t1²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 125| D

8/5

Has returned to much better form on his last two starts, winning easily at Stratford (2m6f, good) and running well in defeat after a 7lb rise at Uttoxeter last time. Should again be involved from same mark.

Form: 63P/61-3

Elusive Theatre²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: P Griffin| OR: 123

9/1

Most wins have been on slower ground than forecast. Has won a point, but all rules wins over shorter than this. Doesn't look tremendously well treated. Others preferred.

Form: 45R75-7

Blue Kascade¹⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: A M Thomson| OR: 118

22/1

Last of his six chase wins came at Perth (3m, good) this time last year, when 2lb lower. Inconsistent since then, and although pulled up in that same Perth contest last time out, he would have claims if on a 'going' day.

Form: 24P2U-P

Beau Sancy^p,t¹⁵¹

2/1

Reeled off a hat-trick over fences at around 2m4f-2m5f last autumn, the last of them when 11lb lower. Not seen since Boxing Day and has had wind surgery since. Unexposed over this trip and interesting.

Form: 9/11124-

Lowanbehold¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 98| C

10/1

Goes well here, having won three times from 2m1f-3m2f at the track. Goes on any ground, but a place looks his best hope today from 10lb 'wrong'.

Form: 69233-4

Forecasts

Viens Chercher (8/5), Beau Sancy (2/1), Cultram Abbey (9/2), Elusive Theatre (9/1), Lowanbehold (10/1), Blue Kascade (22/1)

Cultram Abbey has to be respected, but his inability to win races back-to-back throughout his career is a little offputting. Viens Chercher looks a major player, but he will also probably need to find a little bit more, while Blue Kascade can be frustrating to follow, but there is no doubting his ability to win this is able to produce his optimum effort. The suggestion, therefore, is BEAU SANCY, who was progressing nicely prior to Christmas and returns freshened up after wind surgery, and is unexposed.