15:08 Ayr

Saturday 9 March 2024

All13:2313:5814:3315:0815:4316:1816:53

Virgin Bet Cheltenham Festival Money Back Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 3m 54.6s

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Selected odds by:

Kerosine Light^p²⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 119| D

50/1

Three wins for this yard in summer 2022 but off for 9 months prior to finishing a remote fifth at Uttoxeter last May and he's had another similar absence since. Betting perhaps the best guide to expectations.

Form: 113D1-5

Bois Guillbert⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 119| CD

5/1

C&D winner last season and added to tally in 2m Kelso handicap on reappearance in October. Has gone off the boil in recent starts but latest last of 4 back at Kelso came in what has turned out a strong race and this 5-y-o still has time on his side.

Form: 13-1364

Park Annonciade^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 118| CD

2/1

Looked progressive when winning handicaps over C&D and Haydock (19f) in November. Has seemed to find 2m around Musselburgh a bit sharp for him the last twice but there's probably another bigger performance in him before long.

Form: 131146

Ruby Island³⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 116| CD

5/1

Fairly useful in bumpers and won first 2 starts over hurdles last season, including a C&D maiden. Off since a mid-field finish in the EBF Final at Newbury a year ago but retains potential if ready to roll.

Form: 241127-

Atlantic Dancer³⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 110| CD

11/1

Two wins last spring and better than ever when going in again at Kelso just before Christmas. Not in the same when fading into a well-held third of 4 over 2m at Newcastle since, though.

Form: 121-613

Bix Beiderbecke^h³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 106| D

22/1

Opened his account at the second time of asking over hurdles in a 2m Perth novice last May but his subsequent handicap efforts have been disappointing. Still fairly early days but he arrives with something to prove.

Form: 63-18F7

Can't Stop Now^h³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 105| D

14/1

This front-runner won a 2m Musselburgh handicap hurdle last March and added to his tally on the Flat at Carlisle in August. Faded into sixth back hurdling at Musselburgh last month but he has dipped back to that winning mark.

Form: 35410-6

Dance Thief¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Ben Smith⁽¹⁰⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 101

11/4

Point winner who has improved for switch to handicaps in this sphere, finishing placed over longer trips than this on 3 of his last 4 starts (including here).

Form: 352203

Forecasts

Park Annonciade (2/1), Dance Thief (11/4), Bois Guillbert (5/1), Ruby Island (5/1), Atlantic Dancer (11/1), Can't Stop Now (14/1), Bix Beiderbecke (22/1), Kerosine Light (50/1)

PARK ANNONCIADE is given a chance to resume his progression back at the scene of the first of his 2 handicap wins in November. Ruby Island could be a threat if primed after a year off, while the front-running Can't Stop Now is starting to look well handicapped again.