AYR 1.40 - Handicap Hurdle - class 5 - 2 miles 4 and 1/2 furlongs - 20 run - Soft

 

At the top of the market are two horses who won last Thursday so make a quick turnaround and both have 7lb penalties, they are clearly in form but this is a competitive race and therefore I'll take on both Alright Dai and Achnamara today. Cave Hill is another last time out winner, this one with a 6lbs penalty in what may have been a softer race and on better ground and is another that I think may be vulnerable. So Many Roads won this race in 2023 beating Euchan Falls and both return but with the former off a 319 days break and the latter off some indifferent form, I will also oppose them but either of both of them are very capable of popping up here again.

 

There are a trio who I think can be winning in the next few months who I have added to my 2025 TRACKER this morning and they are Lisloran who had 3 wins a couple of seasons back but few runs since and back off a 324 day gap, Snowrocco who is an ex 3 mile P2P prospect well worth following and Coral Blue @ 33/1 a Course and Distance winner back in February 2023 who has been off for 6 months and for whom Brian Hughes is a notable booking at a likely early price of 25/1 or higher. That's a potential small e/w shrapnel bet together with 14 year old 9 times course winner Ardera Cross who is still worth a quid each way at 50/1 plus here at Ayr.

 

I was left with a shortlist of 5 and from that with plenty of enhanced Odds the last one i dropped off was Santa Clarita @ 20/1 with B365 who is an ex Dan Skelton horse form at 2 and a half miles up to 3 miles, on a nice mark and conditions that suit and should any of the 4 I rated marginally higher be a non runner, then a handy drop in reserve.

 

I am most keen by a considerable margin on Nick Alexander's BEAT THE RETREAT a bit on an eye catcher for me last time and one who has a Course win over two and a quarter miles, fit now and primed i'll be frankly disappointed if he's not winning this and very disappointed if he doesn't place in the top 4. TOPKAPI STAR won his penultimate race off a mark of 84, I think you can forgive his last race at a Track that may not have suited and this Course offers no excuses off a competitive looking mark of 86. LEWA HOUSE was a runner up in this last year off a mark of 81, I very much get the impression that they immediately targeted a return for another bash and with a similar preparation off a mark of 77 he looks very competitively weighted. Finally and just getting the nod over Santa Clarita if you wanted the 4th poke to 5 or 6 places is MARTY McFLY a 3 mile P2P recruit for Sandy Thompson for whom the step up to this trip should begin to see him in a proper light and he could be a progressive one with more potential than some of the more exposed types. (Northern)

 

Ayr 3.25 GAILLIMH A STAR who we tipped with confidence when a non runner last week is a notable entry here and worth a small e/w investment and whilst looking at the race I could not fail to notice COVENTRY at a big price who is a good 20lbs below the sort of irish mark it had when placing in decent races. One who never fulfilled its potential in the hurly burly of big field handicaps over in Ireland who is more than capable of picking up a small race off this sort of mark (Northern)