13:05 Ayr

Friday 22 December 2017

All11:5512:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

Racing UK Jump To It Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 6m 50.0s

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Selected odds by:

Nortonthorpelegend^p1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: R Menzies| OR: 115| CD

7/2

Yet to make an impact on heavy ground, but acts well on soft and won here over C&D on that going in January. 2lb higher than that today after being nudged up 1lb for close second at Carlisle last time and cheekpieces could eek out more. Claims.

Form: F4P-842

Valzan^p1⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Tony Kelly| T: R Menzies| OR: 113

40/1

Scored on very soft ground in France last year. Well beaten in both starts over hurdles for this yard in recent months and dropped 12lb in total for those. Could do better now back over fences for handicap debut in cheekpieces. Market check prudent.

Form: 376-259

Nakadam^p,t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith| OR: 108

11/2

Stays further than this and acts on heavy ground. Placed several times this year, including from the same mark over C&D (soft) last time out. True run race would help bring out his stamina and has to enter calculations.

Form: 2324-22

Shanroe Street²³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 106| C| D

12/1

Sole rules success came here in a maiden hurdle (2m5½f, soft) last year. Best effort over fences was when a neck second at Musselburgh (3m2½f, good) in March from 1lb higher. Claims on that basis, though yet to go well when fresh.

Form: 1/05525-

Achill Road Boy¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 102| C

3/1

Won here over 2m5½f (heavy) this time last year from today's mark and did the same over hurdles at Hexham in March. Stays this far and if he runs to his ability then he should not be far away.

Form: 17-7235

Lochnell¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: I A Duncan| OR: 102| BF| CD

7/1

All four of her wins have been here over hurdles (including two at this trip and two on heavy). Still potential for a bit of improvement over fences after just four runs and is considered given her love of this track and her current mark.

Form: 128-442

Presented¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 102| CD

7/1

Goes on any ground won over C&D on heavy from a stone higher in January 2016. Not as good as that now, but has still been competitive on numerous occasions and is handicapped to go very close after latest 1lb drop.

Form: 2P2333

Orioninverness^p,t²⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 94| BF

7/1

Dropped back successfully in trip when recording his only win, at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) in March. Beaten from this 6lb higher mark when last seen in April so has to improve and more than likely to need this reappearance.

Form: F48614-

Silverton²⁶⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-1| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 90| C

40/1

Sole success was here over 2m4½f (heavy) in January 2015, when 4lb higher. Badly out of form for well over two years now, however, and others readily preferred.

Form: 6/89P4P-

Alfred Oats^t³⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: R Goldie| OR: 82

18/1

15-race maiden and veteran who enters this from 7lb 'wrong'. Trip and ground suit, as shown by his 5L second over C&D in January. Entitled to need his reappearance and can do better this time, but not easy to fancy for that elusive first win.

Form: 256/22-7

Non-Runners

Smuggler's Stash¹⁹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 7

T: R Dobbin J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Achill Road Boy (3/1), Nortonthorpelegend (7/2), Nakadam (11/2), Lochnell (7/1), Presented (7/1), Orioninverness (7/1), Smuggler's Stash (10/1), Shanroe Street (12/1), Alfred Oats (18/1), Valzan (40/1), Silverton (40/1)

A reasonably good case can be made for over half of this field, with the vote just going to SMUGGLER'S STASH. Proven both on heavy ground and over further than this, a repeat of his Hexham run from last month would give him a decent chance from today's mark. Nortonthorpelegend enters calculations, though his latest 2lb nudge upwards plus a lack of heavy ground form has us looking elsewhere. Nakadam is not ruled out, though he tends to find something to beat him, while Achill Road Boy will relish conditions, Lochnell loves this track and Presented acts on both and also on a good mark. All four could be in the mix.