17:30 Ayr

Wednesday 24 May 2023

All14:2014:5515:3016:0016:3017:0017:30

Guinness Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:31 | Winning time: 1m 42.10s

(5)

Shine On Brendan¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Archie Young⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 66| CD

9/2

C&D winner. 9/4, creditable second of 5 in handicap at Hamilton (8.3f, good) 17 days ago, having run of race from front. Can play a prominent role again.

Form: 386-922

(6)

Super Stars³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Brandon Wilkie⁽³⁾| T: A Keatley| OR: 65

15/2

Fit from hurdling and placed off higher marks on the Flat last year. Not discounted.

Form: 463383-

(2)

Rogue Force²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Elle-May Croot⁽³⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 65| D

25/1

11/1, first run since leaving Tom Clover when sixth of 7 in handicap at this course (7f, good to firm) 20 days ago. Needs to leave that behind.

Form: 47-5546

(9)

Engles Rock^p²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: William Pyle⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 62| CD

7/1

Dual C&D winner last year. Twelfth of 14 in handicap (11/1) at Wetherby (1m, good to soft) 24 days ago, not ideally placed. Back on a winning mark.

Form: 164-550

(1)

Big Dream^p,t¹³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Shane Markey⁽⁷⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 59| D

11/1

18/1 and cheekpieces on first time, last of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (7f) in January, ridden too aggressively. Off 138 days.

Form: 40097-0

(10)

Bulls Aye^v¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Sophie Clements⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 57

10/3

Unreliable sort. Fifteen runs since last win in 2020. 15/2, seventh of 10 in handicap at this course (10f, good to firm) 1 day ago, missing break. Visor back on. Has work to do.

Form: 8-38237

(4)

Hostelry⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Alex Jary⁽³⁾| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 54

11/4

One win from 33 Flat runs. 4/1, creditable second of 8 in handicap at Musselburgh (9f, good) 9 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 077-252

(3)

Retirement Beckons⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Alexander Fielding⁽³⁾| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 53| CD

14/1

C&D winner but hasn't beaten a rival in 2 comeback outings at Hamilton in recent weeks. Can only watch at present.

Form: 2035-50

Non-Runners

(7)

Esticky End³¹⁷

Weight: 9-12| Age: 5

T: T D Barron J: Gianluca Sanna

(8)

Cosa Sara⁹

Weight: 9-5| Age: 5

T: J S Goldie J: Curtis Wilson-Ruddock

Forecasts

Hostelry (11/4), Bulls Aye (10/3), Shine On Brendan (9/2), Engles Rock (7/1), Super Stars (15/2), Cosa Sara (15/2), Big Dream (11/1), Retirement Beckons (14/1), Rogue Force (25/1), Esticky End (28/1)

HOSTELRY goes off the same mark as when second at Musselburgh at the beginning of last week and may be up to going one better now. Shine On Brendan is another who arrives on the back of a creditable runner-up effort in recent days and should figure again. The returning Esticky End won on his 2022 reappearance and is another to consider, particularly if the betting vibes are strong.