Merry Christmas From Ayr Racecourse Open Maiden NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 4m 6.72s

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Selected odds by:

Ayiko¹⁹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford

9/4

Champs Elysees gelding who was held back by inexperience when runner-up in a bumper at Roscommon (16.2f, good to soft) 6 months ago, keeping on when wandering final 1f. Looks sure to take a step forward on that effort here.

Form:

Cushendun⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: I A Duncan

16/1

Telescope gelding who shaped with some encouragement when third of 15 in newcomers bumper at this C&D (good) last month, every chance when hanging left over 1f out.

Form:

Junker D'allier⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| BF

9/4

Kapgarde gelding who was beaten only a nose by a better-placed rival when second of 15 in newcomers bumper at this C&D (good) last month. Respected with better to come.

Form:

Malicash³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans

7/1

Malinas gelding who offered something to work on when third of 13 in bumper at Kelso (16.2f, soft) just under 6 weeks ago. Should build on that initial effort.

Form:

Posh Et Noir

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: H Graham & G Rutherford

40/1

£20,000 Black Sam Bellamy gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to useful bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler (stayed 3m) Hollies Pearl (by Black Sam Bellamy). Yard certainly not renowned for bumper success.

Form:

Young Getaway

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards

7/2

Getaway gelding. Dam unraced sister to high-class hurdler (2m-19f winner) Iktitaf. Newcomers from yard often fancied.

Form:

Josie Alice⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Miss Roisin Leech⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

12/1

Winning pointer who didn't have the speed to fend off a couple of promising ones at the end of a slowly-run race in bumper at Bangor (16.7f, heavy) last Friday. Others more appealing.

Form:

Forecasts

Ayiko (9/4), Junker D'allier (9/4), Young Getaway (7/2), Malicash (7/1), Josie Alice (12/1), Cushendun (16/1), Posh Et Noir (40/1)

AYIKO produced a promising first effort when runner-up at Roscommon back in the summer and with better to come, Stuart Crawford's 4-y-o is fancied to go one better at the expense of Junker d'Allier, who was beaten only a nose by a better-placed rival over C&D last month. Malicash and Cushendun can fight out third spot.