17:05 Ayr

Saturday 10 March 2018

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

Magners Irish Cider Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 7m 15.84s

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Selected odds by:

Lake View Lad²¹

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: N W Alexander| C

Form: 6-31321

Harry Topper^p²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 0-0| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 137| D

10/3

Talented performer in his prime, but it is a long time since he got his head in front and his rating has dropped accordingly. Promising reappearance run at Exeter and is respected off 3lb lower.

Form: P5/P44-2

Indy Five²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: T E Whelan| T: David Dennis| OR: 136| D

13/8

Comfortable winner of his two completed starts over fences and has been raised a total of 26lb. Much his hardest task off this mark, but it is hard to say how far he can go in this sphere. Obvious contender.

Form: 31-91F1

Cloudy Too⁶³

Age: 12| Weight: 0-0| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 130| D

4/1

Experienced campaigner who showed he was no back number with a good run in a veterans' contest at Sandown last time. Runs off the same mark and is likely to be thereabouts.

Form: 43-6034

Takingrisks¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 127| D

5/1

Consistent sort who has run well in three completed outings over shorter distances this season. Handicap mark seems high enough, but perhaps the extra distance of this race will produce some improvement.

Form: 4P-2F42

Bells Of Ailsworth⁹⁸

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Tim Vaughan| D

Form: U13F-31

Milborough¹⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 0-0| J: D R Fox| T: I A Duncan| OR: 121| D

14/1

One of many to be pulled up in the gruelling Eider Chase at Newcastle last time, but had previously run respectably at Catterick. Not getting any younger and may find a few of his rivals too strong.

Form: U16P-4P

Silver Tassie¹⁴

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Micky Hammond| CD

Form: P-6562P

Rainy City^p³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: I Jardine| OR: 119

10/1

Winning hurdler who has been runner-up on all four starts over fences, including last time at Musselburgh. Steps up in trip and should give another good account.

Form: 266452

Paper Lantern¹³

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: K Thornton| D

Form: P48343

Cooking Fat⁸⁴

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

Form: F-52U25

Whiskey Chaser²⁹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D McCain Jnr| D

Form: 22-1566

Forecasts

Indy Five (13/8), Harry Topper (10/3), Cloudy Too (4/1), Takingrisks (5/1), Rainy City (10/1), Milborough (14/1)

Harry Topper would have won this in a canter at his best, but is nothing like the force of old and despite a pleasing reappearance run he may be vulnerable to the younger legs of INDY FIVE, who has shot up the weights for winning two of his three races over fences but may still be a step ahead of the handicapper. Cloudy Too can be relied on to run his race and may chase him home, although Takingrisks and Rainy City have claims and will have their supporters.