16:30 Ayr

Friday 8 March 2024

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

weatherbysshop.co.uk EBF Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:33 | Winning time: 5m 28.03s

El Elefante⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| D

2/7

Made all in both bumper outings and was impressive when making a winning hurdles debut at Perth (20.2f) in September. Ran to a similar level on her next 2 starts, before finding it tough in Grade 2 last time. Leading contender back down in grade.

Form: 11-1545

Kay Tara Tara⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 109| D

10/3

Bumper winner on debut and made a successful start in this sphere at Huntingdon (19.6f) in October. Showed better form in defeat when third at Fontwell in December, before no match for an improver in handicap at Doncaster on her latest outing. Remains with potential.

Form: 120-132

Cloneyhurke Maid¹²⁶⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: H McMahon

200/1

Tobougg mare. Half-brother to smart bumper winner/useful 2½m hurdle winner Battleford, stayed 3m, and fairly useful hurdler/chaser Stacks Mountain. Made the frame both completed starts in Irish points, but the last of those outings came back in September 2020.

Form: F42/

Hey Mama Rock Me¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: D Bourke

200/1

Sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Notachance, but tailed off in a bumper and fared little better at Carlisle (17f) on her hurdling debut 18 days ago. Remains best watched upped in trip.

Form: 76

Love That³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: R M Smith| D

80/1

€12,000 3-y-o, Vendangeur mare. Half-sister to fairly useful hurdler Princess Tara. Dam, bumper winner, half-sister to useful staying chasers Openide and Ballybough Gorta. Point winner at the fourth attempt, but she has a fairly useful standard to aim at on Rules debut.

Form: 7P-81

March Wind⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson

12/1

Runner-up both outings in bumpers last year but well below that level in 2 starts over hurdles this season, though run best excused when down the field at Sedgefield (19.8f) last time (lost place after bad mistake fifth). Improvement required.

Form: 22-67

Somebody's Fortune^t1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

28/1

Placed in points and, after 9 months off, showed a bit when mid-field at Kelso (22.7f) on her hurdling bow in January. Wasn't able to build on that effort when fifth in race won by Micks Jet at Musselburgh 19 days ago, so she needs to find more with tongue strap applied.

Form: 632-55

Non-Runners

Micks Jet¹⁹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: P A Kirby J: Joe Williamson

Forecasts

El Elefante (2/7), Micks Jet (9/4), Kay Tara Tara (10/3), March Wind (12/1), Somebody's Fortune (28/1), Love That (80/1), Hey Mama Rock Me (200/1), Cloneyhurke Maid (200/1)

EL ELEFANTE faced a tough task in the Rossington Main at Doncaster last time, when she was also unsuited by the emphasis on speed, so she is taken to resume winning ways returned to this longer trip back down in grade. Micks Jet opened her hurdles account easily 19 days ago and is feared most with further improvement to come, ahead of Kay Tara Tara.