16:53 Ayr

Saturday 9 March 2024

All13:2313:5814:3315:0815:4316:1816:53

Virgin Bet Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:59 | Winning time: 3m 55.24s

Kingston James¹¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

4/1

£30,000 4-y-o, Kingston Hill gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Theo and fair hurdler Captain Lob, stays 2½m. Won completed start in points (Nov 2023), so strikes as a notable Rules newcomer.

Form: F-1

Posh Et Noir⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: H Graham & G Rutherford

200/1

Failed to beat a rival over C&D 80 days ago and is likely to struggle again.

Form: 7

Saracen Beau

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards

10/1

€19,000 3-y-o, Mount Nelson gelding. Half-brother to unreliable but fairly useful hurdler/chaser Dreamsoftheatre and fair hurdler/chaser Definitly Grey. One to consider on debut for stable with solid bumper record.

Form:

Saratoga Steve⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

33/1

Related to three winners but didn't cost much and only beat one of the seven home at Musselburgh first time out.

Form: 6

Step Out^t1⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford

9/2

Bettered debut form when fourth of 5 in a bumper at Fairyhouse last time and tongue tie applied now, so could do better still.

Form: 40-4

Theatre Chief

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine

16/1

Dartmouth gelding. Dam (h107), placed in French hurdles, half-sister to smart hurdler/top-class chaser (stayed 3¼m) Sizing John. From a good family, so worthy of interest if the market speaks in his favour.

Form:

Yakaleo⁸²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards

6/5

Out of a winning hurdler/chaser and offered plenty of encouragement when third at Musselburgh a couple of months ago. Stable has a good record in this sphere and he sets the standard, so makes plenty of appeal.

Form: 3

Madame Bluebelle

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson

9/1

Blue Bresil mare. Dam (c83/h99), 2m-2½m hurdle winner, half-sister to useful hurdler/smart chaser (stayed 3m) Junction Fourteen. Worth a market check.

Form:

Non-Runners

Alkaid³⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: J C McConnell J: Non Runner

Balking²²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: Mrs Dianne Sayer J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Yakaleo (6/5), Kingston James (4/1), Step Out (9/2), Balking (5/1), Madame Bluebelle (9/1), Saracen Beau (10/1), Alkaid (14/1), Theatre Chief (16/1), Saratoga Steve (33/1), Posh Et Noir (200/1)

YAKALEO sets the standard on his third at Musselburgh first time out and he's likely to have benefited from that initial experience, so he gets the nod ahead of point-winner Kingston James. Saracen Beau, a stablemate of the winner, also makes some appeal on paper.