15:45 Ayr

Friday 10 March 2023

All13:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:55

Good Luck Killie In Scottish Cup Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 3m 52.23s

Captain Nelson¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith

200/1

Showed nothing in a course bumper on debut last spring and sent off big prices when failing to complete both starts in maiden hurdles, swerving and unseating rider first latest.

Form: 7-PU

Desert Stranger³¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Ryan Mania| T: R M Smith

200/1

Well held in Flat maiden/bumper.

Form: 9-

Don't Look Back²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

66/1

Fair maiden on Flat (stays 1m) who has been well held both starts over hurdles.

Form: 4-6

Lights Are Green³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

15/2

Made an unpromising start to his Rules career in a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle in April last year when trained by Andrew Lynch. Subsequently won a point in October before not given a hard time back over hurdles at Catterick.

Form: FP26-15

Thistle Ask^h,t³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny McMenamin| T: J Ewart| OR: 110

10/11

Stepped up on his reappearance/stable debut when splitting 2 subsequent winners a C&D maiden (good to soft) in December. Disappointed switched to handicap back here last time, however. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 862-427

Whitehaven¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| BF| D

3/1

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 16.5f) for Hughie Morrison. Showed an aptitude for hurdling when third over 2m at Catterick on New Year's Day but failed to progress at Carlisle next time, no response 2 out. Remains early days over hurdles.

Form: 35

Donso Star²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Dowson| T: R M Smith

14/1

Just modest form in a trio of bumpers so improvement required now hurdling.

Form: 456

Beat The Retreat^t⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander

20/1

Failed to beat any home in a course bumper in November and has fared little both starts over hurdles.

Form: 634

Melnik⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C A McBratney| OR: 95

6/1

Fair maiden on the Flat but never dangerous in a trio of maiden hurdles. Headgear left off.

Form: 000

Non-Runners

Bellaney Lord¹¹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: S R B Crawford J: D A Jacob

Kingston Bridge²¹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: Ewan Whillans J: Craig Nichol

Skol¹³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: J J Lambe J: Liam McKenna

Forecasts

Thistle Ask (10/11), Whitehaven (3/1), Bellaney Lord (7/2), Melnik (6/1), Lights Are Green (15/2), Kingston Bridge (8/1), Skol (12/1), Donso Star (14/1), Beat The Retreat (20/1), Don't Look Back (66/1), Desert Stranger (200/1), Captain Nelson (200/1)

Fairly useful bumper winner KINGSTON BRIDGE was held back by some novicey jumping on his Kelso hurdling debut, but if he's learnt from that, he looks to have plenty going for him in a much weaker race here. Bellaney Lord and Thistle Ask both have a bit to prove after running poorly on their most recent starts but are obvious threats on the pick of their form.