13:05 Ayr

Tuesday 21 December 2021

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:4515:15

Book Coral Scottish Grand National Now Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:06 | Winning time: 5m 10.60s

Lord Of Kerak^t²⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Murphy| OR: 126| DWS

5/1

Quickly made into a fairly useful hurdler last term but off since last in 3m listed event at Perth in April. Not discounted returning after a wind op going into handicaps for in-form yard.

Form: 221826-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Grand Morning^p,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 125| CD

12/1

C&D winner but he came in last of 5 in 3m handicap chase here 22 days ago. Back over hurdles with something to prove now.

Form: 471-925

Lignou¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 122| D

22/1

Fairly useful ex-Irish 20f winner. Yet to hit form in two runs for current yard, patiently-ridden seventh in 2m Wetherby handicap 17 days ago. Not written off from a reduced mark.

Form: 61-0987

Bigbadmattie⁶²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Callum Bewley| T: J Ewart| OR: 122| D

9/1

Made it 2-4 this season for Emma Lavelle with ready success in 20f Worcester novice handicap in October. Hiked up 13 lb so more is required on his yard bow now.

Form: 3/F121

Glentruan^t⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs A Duffield| OR: 120| D

7/2

Fairy useful 20f winner in Ireland but he didn't impress with attitude when fifth in Carlisle novice (20f) 61 days ago. Needs to hit the ground running for his new handler.

Form: 812-835

Quest For Life^p³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 118| D

10/1

Dual scorer early in 2021 who got back on song when third in 20f handicap hurdle at Wetherby 38 days ago. He can give another good account.

Form: 1143-63

Foster'sisland²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 118| C

7/2

Is going firmly the right way, and he made it 2-3 this season with stylish success in 19.5f handicap here 29 days ago by 1¼l from Blow By Blow. Expected to be bang there again despite 7 lb rise.

Form: 133-811

Serious Ego³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 116

6/1

Off 7 months before posting promising second of 14 in 2m handicap hurdle at Hexham 34 days ago, nearest at the finsih. Can make his presence felt again nudged up just 1 lb.

Form: 4/31U8-2

Calivigny^p²²

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr Kit Alexander⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 112| CD

33/1

Veteran is 4-time course winner but he ran poorly after 7 months off when ninth over C&D 22 days ago. Cheekpieces replace visor now.

Form: 1176-79

Blow By Blow^p⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 110| D

15/2

Unreliable type who turned in one of his lesser efforts when sixth of 10 in handicap at Southwell (20.4f) 9 days ago. It's now eighteen runs since his last win in 2018.

Form: 7/6-2826

Non-Runners

Kiss My Face²²

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: B Ellison J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Foster'sisland (7/2), Glentruan (7/2), Lord Of Kerak (5/1), Serious Ego (6/1), Blow By Blow (15/2), Bigbadmattie (9/1), Quest For Life (10/1), Kiss My Face (10/1), Grand Morning (12/1), Lignou (22/1), Calivigny (33/1)

Micky Hammond's upwardly-mobile FOSTER'SISLAND looked to have plenty left in the tank when scooting home here last month and he can defy a 7 lb rise in the weights. Serious Ego teed himself up nicely for this when a patiently-ridden second at Hexham and is feared most. Wetherby-third Quest For Life and the returning Lord of Kerak can fight it out for minor honours in a competitive handicap.