13:00 Ayr

Tuesday 21 January 2025

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0515:4016:13

racingtv.com/freetrial Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 6m 40.66s

Ayiko^t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 122| C

5/6

Bumper winner who has shown progressive form in maiden hurdles, finishing second in14-runner event at Fairyhouse (23.2f, good to soft) last time. Sets the standard.

Form: 10753-2

Big Zouk⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ryan Mania| T: J Ewart| BF| D

16/1

£160,000 5-y-o, Milan gelding. Successful sole outing in Irish points in February but ran below expectations when only fourth of 8 in a 2m Wetherby novice just over 6 weeks ago. Could prove a different proposition over this markedly longer trip.

Form: 1-4

Flawless Clarity²⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: D J Jeffreys

80/1

£30,000 5-y-o, Diamond Boy gelding. Dam, unraced, closely related to useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 3m) Drumacoo. Runner-up completed start in Irish points in April and market should offer up some clues on this switch to Rules.

Form: P2-

Jo Coko⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| D

10/3

Purchased for £105,000 after winning his only start in Irish points and shaped with plenty of encouragement switched to Rules when second in a Haydock maiden 7 weeks ago, staying on. Open to improvement.

Form: 1-2

Knightphase³⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| D

66/1

Won sole start in Irish points (Jan 2024) and needs a market check now setting out over hurdles.

Form: 1-

Orkney Blue⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Bruce Lynn| T: N W Alexander| OR: 107

13/2

Promising start when runner-up in a Hexham bumper in April and sold from Toby Lawes for £35,000 after. Kept on for fourth on hurdles debut at Carlisle (20f) and took a step forward when second at Hexham (20.1f) last month, pulling clear of rest. Likely to progress further now upped to 3m.

Form: 2-42

Tommys Law^t,p1³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Power⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 110| BF

6/1

Placed in points but is proving consistent rather than progressive over hurdles, runner-up on 6 of 7 starts. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 22-2222

Wholly Boley²⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny McMenamin| T: D Bourke| D

150/1

Mid-division all 4 starts in bumpers (for Gerald Stephen Quinn) but easily off the mark in points at the second attempt in May.

Form: 0/5652-1

Visual Impact⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: P W Wadge| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 104

20/1

£100,000 after finishing runner-up in a maiden point. Only fourth in an course bumper in February but has offered plenty more both starts over hurdles, including when third in 2m4f maiden at Hexham latterly. Upped further in trip.

Form: 244-3

Non-Runners

Canunclecani¹⁹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: Mrs J Stephen J: Non Runner

Scarlet Jet⁶³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: N W Alexander J: C O'Farrell

Forecasts

Ayiko (5/6), Jo Coko (10/3), Tommys Law (6/1), Orkney Blue (13/2), Big Zouk (16/1), Visual Impact (20/1), Canunclecani (20/1), Scarlet Jet (25/1), Knightphase (66/1), Flawless Clarity (80/1), Wholly Boley (150/1)

AYIKO is going the right way as a hurdler and a reproduction of the form shown on his latest start could be enough to see him open his account in this sphere. This is a deeper maiden that tends to be the case for the track however, and both Jo Coko and Orkney Blue are interesting rivals.