14:17 Ayr

Saturday 31 October 2020

All12:3213:0713:4214:1714:5215:2716:02

Ayr Racecourse Sunday Market Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:17 | Winning time: 7m 5.1s

Planet Nine³²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Dobbin| OR: 134| BF

12/1

Third of 4 in handicap hurdle at Carlisle (25f, heavy, 5/4), needing stronger gallop. Off 10 months and likely to find a few too good here.

Form: 1145/23-

Highland Hunter²⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133| C| DWS

11/4

Promising sort. Course winner. Career best when winning 7-runner handicap hurdle at Musselburgh (26.1f, soft, 10/11) in February. 5 lb rise looks fair and should have more to offer. Has had a wind op.

Form: 1135/81-

Better Getalong²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 132| C

15/2

Course winner. 7/2, creditable second of 5 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.4f, heavy). Off 7 months but each-way shout if ready to roll.

Form: 265/532-

Justatenner^h¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: T Davidson| OR: 132| CD

16/1

C&D winner. 12/1, unseated rider in handicap hurdle at Wetherby (24.1f, good to soft) 17 days ago. Others more persuasive from a win point of view.

Form: 314-36U

Takingrisks^p²³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr Lyall Hodgins⁽⁷⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 130| CD

14/1

C&D winner. Eight wins from 29 NH runs. Fifth of 6 in handicap chase at Carlisle (24.5f, soft, 8/1). Off 7 months. Switches from chase to hurdles and others make more appeal.

Form: 11/5165-

Chocolat Noir⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| OR: 126| D

18/1

Three wins from 4 runs this season. Career best when winning 4-runner handicap hurdle at Sedgefield (27f, good, 11/10) 57 days ago. This is more demanding up 9 lb, but she's clearly in great heart.

Form: 15-2111

Milvale²⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 122

4/1

Career best when winning 6-runner handicap hurdle (9/2) at Kelso (22.7f, heavy) when last seen 8 months ago. 7 lb rise in this more competitive race demands another jolt of improvement.

Form: 26/4521-

Skipthescales²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 120| D

13/2

Creditable 7¾ lengths third of 13 to Sultans Pride in handicap hurdle (17/2) at Hexham (23.3f, soft) 21 days ago. Enjoys a significant pull at the weights with that rival here.

Form: 2/362-53

Sultans Pride²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: G Boanas| OR: 118

7/1

2/1, career best when winning 13-runner handicap hurdle at Hexham (23.3f, soft) 21 days ago, staying on well. Hit with a 12 lb hike, so another personal best needed in order to complete the hat-trick.

Form: 7/345-11

Off The Hook^p,t1²³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 113| CWS

11/1

7/2 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, respectable second of 8 in handicap hurdle at this course (21.4f, heavy), no match for winner. Off 7 months. Has undergone wind surgery and tongue strap applied.

Form: 4/63432-

Non-Runners

Late Romantic²⁴⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 10

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Highland Hunter (11/4), Milvale (4/1), Skipthescales (13/2), Sultans Pride (7/1), Better Getalong (15/2), Late Romantic (10/1), Off The Hook (11/1), Planet Nine (12/1), Takingrisks (14/1), Justatenner (16/1), Chocolat Noir (18/1)

The one who stands out is HIGHLAND HUNTER, who did well to get his head in front at Musselburgh in February on just his second start for Paul Nicholls. A 5 lb rise almost certainly underestimates this 7-y-o. Skipthescales was beaten almost 8 lengths when third to Sultans Pride at Hexham, but he enjoys a healthy pull at the weights and is second choice ahead of Gillian Boanas' representative.