13:15 Ayr

Friday 21 April 2023

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Remus Uomo Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 3m 42.97s

First Impression³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 127| C| D

18/1

Back on track when getting the better of the progressive El Muchacho off a 5 lb lower mark at Catterick (15.7f, good to firm) in February. However, he failed to fire on the Flat next time and likely to find a few too good back in this sphere.

Form: 23-4291

Carole's Pass^p1³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 126| D

33/1

Hurdles winner in France last summer and followed up back from a break at Newbury in November. Limited impact both starts since, though, including on handicap debut at Compiegne (17.9f, soft), and step forward needed in first-time cheekpieces here.

Form: S31146

Forcing Bull^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 123

18/1

Point winner who left his disappointing bumper debut effort well behind when scoring on hurdles bow at Sedgefield (16.8f, heavy) last month. Duly landed the odds over the same C&D 9 days later and while there is clearly much more on his plate now handicapping, he's clearly promising.

Form: 331811

War Soldier³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 121| BF| D

9/1

Winner of a Newcastle maiden and Haydock novice towards the end of 2022. Handicap debut third back at Newcastle (16.9f, heavy) last month was respectable but will need to raise his game in order to emerge on top here.

Form: 7-41103

Traprain Law^t⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: P W Wadge⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 119| CD

5/2

Has done little wrong since crossing the Channel, making it 3 wins from 6 starts for this yard when making all in a C&D handicap (good to firm) last month. 5 lb rise tolerable, he's versatile conditions-wise and, all in all, he has plenty going for him.

Form: 241211

Bythesametoken^t⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: R T Dunne| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 117| D

50/1

Mixed bag over fences last year and appeared to appreciate returning to this sphere when runner-up back from a break at Wexford (2m, good to soft) last month. On a fair mark and this Irish raider is not without each-way hope.

Form: 3P3U62

Rattle Owl⁴⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: C O'Farrell| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 116

33/1

Dual winner of novice events in 2021 but was below par at Haydock when last seen in December of that year. Wellbeing to prove here on the back of a 15-month absence.

Form: 1/31F24-

Well Educated²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 116| D

33/1

Completed the hat-trick at Carlisle (17.2f, soft) in October and shaped well on first run since when fifth at Kelso last month. However, form took a turn for the worse next time and others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 31115P

Medyaf¹¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 123| D

18/1

Sold from the Gosdens for just 9,000 gns after failing to win in 4 Flat starts but looked like a veritable bargain when winning first 2 starts in this sphere in October. Found out in Grade 2 company the last twice but no great surprise were he to get back on track now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 1147

Afadil¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 122| D

9/2

French Flat winner who won first 2 hurdles and shaped better than the bare result when eighth of 21 in Fred Winter at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) last month. Reproduction of that effort (or his subsequent second at Ascot) would give him every chance eased slightly in class here.

Form: 11682

Dr Sanderson³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 111| CD

25/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser who scored twice over fences at Cartmel last summer. However, he has shown little spark in 5 runs since returned to this sphere.

Form: U57865

Shelikesthelights^t⁹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 101| D

3/1

Successful on sole outing in bumpers when trained by Joe Tizzard and has improved over hurdles for current yard, off the mark in a mares' maiden at Doncaster prior to making a mockery of her opening mark in a Southwell handicap (15.8f, soft) last week. Leading claims under a penalty.

Form: 125211

Scots Poet^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 103| D

9/1

Back to form when accounting for 12 rivals at Musselburgh in February and good third over 17.4f at the same course next time (probably would've finished closer but for uncharacteristic jumping errors). One to consider.

Form: 464313

Ten Ten Twenty⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 97| D

100/1

Fair Flat winner for John Joseph Murphy in Ireland. Opened hurdles account in a Worcester maiden last summer but struggled in handicaps since and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 55174P

Super Stars¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: A Keatley| OR: 103

33/1

Showed some aptitude for hurdling in a pair of juvenile events in late 2022, and again when third back from a break in a 2m Wetherby maiden recently. Likely to pick up a race before long but he's 6 lb 'wrong' at the weights for his handicap debut in this sphere.

Form: 523

Forecasts

Traprain Law (5/2), Shelikesthelights (3/1), Afadil (9/2), Scots Poet (9/1), War Soldier (9/1), First Impression (18/1), Medyaf (18/1), Forcing Bull (18/1), Dr Sanderson (25/1), Carole's Pass (33/1), Rattle Owl (33/1), Well Educated (33/1), Super Stars (33/1), Bythesametoken (50/1), Ten Ten Twenty (100/1)

Several to consider in this competitive handicap. SHELIKESTHELIGHTS is officially 5 lb 'well-in' under a penalty following her recent handicap debut success at Southwell where she never looked in any danger, and this unexposed mare earns the vote. Afadil looks a big threat on the back of his efforts at Cheltenham and Ascot the last twice, while Scots Poet is also high on the shortlist. Handicap-debutant Medyaf and progressive types Forcing Bull and Traprain Law are all in with a shout, too.