Ayrshire Wedding Show 2nd February Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 4m 21.59s

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Selected odds by:

Tommy Combats²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| OR: 100| D

5/4

Showed plenty over hurdles last season and stepped up on his encouraging reappearance/chase debut when landing a 10-runner Hexham handicap (15.6f, soft) in December. 5 lb rise fair enough and he should have more to offer as a chaser.

Form: 4332-41

Flash Du Pistolet³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| OR: 98

13/2

Ex-pointer who made a promising return/chase debut when fourth at Kelso. However, it was a backward step that he subsequently took at Wetherby and others look stronger on this occasion.

Form: 2/244-47

Raffles Wonder^h,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 96| D

4/1

Free-going sort who proved better than ever when getting off the mark in a Hexham handicap chase (16.2f, heavy) in March. Reappearance/chase debut third to Tommy Combats over the same C&D was a promising display and entitled to finish closer to that rival on 5 lb better terms here.

Form: 63143-3

Ardera Cross^p,t⁴

Age: 14| Weight: 11-4| J: D R Fox| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 90| CD

25/1

Veteran who has 9 chase wins at this course to his name. However, ran no sort of race at Carlisle on final outing in 2023/24 and has fared no better in 3 starts here this season (over hurdles last time).

Form: 45P-6PP

Heeztheboy²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 85| D

4/1

:Offered little in a bumper/over hurdles but having attracted support, proved a different proposition sent chasing despite being 9 lb out of the weights when scoring at Hexham December last winter. Best effort since when fourth behind Tommy Combats last time and he could have a part to play.

Form: 1F6-764

Fathers Advice^p¹⁹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Ben Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 76

14/1

Runner-up 4 times over hurdles and also second over fences at Newcastle in January. Has failed to trouble the judge in a couple of appearances so far this season, though, and he looks vulnerable.

Form: 6326-47

Orbys River⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: William Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: S Allwood| OR: 74

22/1

Poor maiden hurdler who offered little on chase debut at Bangor in October.

Form: P2U2-6P

Forecasts

Tommy Combats (5/4), Raffles Wonder (4/1), Heeztheboy (4/1), Flash Du Pistolet (13/2), Fathers Advice (14/1), Orbys River (22/1), Ardera Cross (25/1)

RAFFLES WONDER is appealing in this rematch with Tommy Combats, having finished just over 2 lengths adrift of that rival on his chase debut at Hexham last month and now meets that rival on 5 lb better terms. Tommy Combats had race-fitness and experience over fences to draw upon that day, factors which help strengthen the case for the selection, who should be sharper here. Heeztheboy was a good fourth in the same Hexham handicap and should also make his presence felt.