13:45 Ayr

Friday 17 April 2026

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4317:15

Slater Menswear Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 4m 0.08s

Castle Ivers⁵¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 120| D

4/1

Cost £95,000 having won an Irish point easily and having run to a useful level when winning 2 of his 4 bumper starts, he quickened in good fashion to make a successful start over hurdles at Warwick in November 2024. Has proven himself capable when fresh and looks on a potentially lenient mark.

Form: 11310/1-

The Gray Ghost^t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Callum Pritchard⁽³⁾| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 120

7/1

Made it 2-2 at Newcastle to open his account for the season before underlining his consistency when fourth in a well-contested Kempton handicap last time. Should give his running again, though could be vulnerable to some less-exposed types in here.

Form: 454414

Bibe Mus³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-13| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 127| D

17/2

Solid record over hurdles for Ross O'Sullivan and having found improvement to make a winning start for Paul Nicholls at Sandown, shaped as if still in good form (before quick turnaround seemingly told) when mid-field in the Fred Winter subsequently.

Form: 132210

Caballo De Guerra^h⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Power⁽⁵⁾| T: L Russell & M Scudamore| OR: 118| D

12/1

No surprise to see hood refitted having not been seen to best effect when distant fifth of 10 in Grade 2 novice at Kelso last time, but the handicapper has at least offered some respite from a stiff-looking opening mark.

Form: 7-14445

Magna Victor⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: C Gethings| T: A Ralph| OR: 117| D

14/1

Low-mileage 7-y-o was improved again when making it 2-2 in handicaps at Musselburgh in late-January and while he bids for the hat-trick in a much deeper race, further progress cannot be ruled out.

Form: 6/53-411

Bertie's Ballet⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Ryan Mania| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 117| D

11/1

Held his form well last season but was no match for less-exposed pair Triple Crown Ted/Lance Les Des at Kelso before flying too high in the Morebattle there last time.

Form: 312-740

Secret Force^t1,p1⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 124| D

17/2

Again below the form of his impressive hurdle debut success when fourth of 6 in a listed juvenile at Musselburgh in late-January, and while a big-field handicap ought to suit better, his opening mark leaves little margin for error.

Form: 144

Newtown Rambler^t,p⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny McMenamin| T: A Keatley| OR: 116| D

11/1

Always holding when doubling his hurdle tally at Warwick last time and while this is much more competitive, he hasn't been long with capable new yard.

Form: P33781

Triple Crown Ted⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: D R Fox| T: L Russell & M Scudamore| OR: 114| BF| D

6/1

Solid form in novices prior to winning more takingly than the bare margin would imply on handicap bow at Kelso. Still looked in top form when chasing home an unexposed stablemate over C&D last time and remains capable of better.

Form: 2-31412

Ginger Mail^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Bruce Lynn| T: N W Alexander| OR: 110| CD

25/1

Veteran finished 1¼ lengths behind Triple Crown Ted at Ayr but finished well beaten with visor refitted in a competitive handicap at Musselburgh last time. Usual cheekpieces go back on and could outrun his odds from a tumbling mark.

Form: 643P30

Lance Les Des⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N W Alexander| OR: 109| CD

9/2

Bit flattered by his proximity to Triple Crown Ted when runner-up on handicap bow but remains progressive in his own right, getting off the mark under hands and heels in an Ayr maiden last time. That form has worked out well, and he needs considering back in a handicap.

Form: 37-3321

Ravenscraig Castle^p²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: William Maggs⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 108| C| D

25/1

Fifth in this race 12 months ago and ran as well as could be expected when fourth of 14 in a Go North Series Final handicap at Musselburgh last time. Isn't the easiest to win with, though, and this looks every bit as competitive.

Form: 145354

Dance Thief²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: R P McLernon| T: R M Smith| OR: 105| CD

40/1

Third in this race in 2024 and was back on his last successful mark when landing a third course win in a 5-runner handicap chase last month. Not in the same form at Carlisle subsequently, however, and this looks a deep renewal.

Form: 33-5P19

Tuppence^h²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Mr Lucas Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: L Russell & M Scudamore| OR: 98

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden has shaped more promisingly than her form figures might suggest, probably doing too much too soon over a longer trip at Musselburgh last time, though Triple Crown Ted is seemingly the yard's leading hope.

Form: U/408-24

Belaya River¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 105| D

50/1

Fair Catterick maiden hurdle winner wasn't anywhere near his best on handicap debut at Sedgefield last time (easy to back and made mistakes) and he could be worth another chance in receipt of a handy 4-y-o allowance.

Form: 54125

Forecasts

Castle Ivers (4/1), Lance Les Des (9/2), Triple Crown Ted (6/1), The Gray Ghost (7/1), Secret Force (17/2), Bibe Mus (17/2), Bertie's Ballet (11/1), Newtown Rambler (11/1), Caballo De Guerra (12/1), Magna Victor (14/1), Tuppence (18/1), Ravenscraig Castle (25/1), Ginger Mail (25/1), Dance Thief (40/1), Belaya River (50/1)

CASTLE IVERS goes handicapping from what looks a lenient opening mark and is in the right hands to overcome an absence. He's taken to make it 2-2 over hurdles, while it's unlikely we've seen the best of Triple Crown Ted, either, and he rates the main danger in an ultra-competitive renewal. Veteran Ginger Mail looks a plausible contender of those at bigger prices.