Ayr Betting Tips:
12:45 – Kandor
13:15 – Evaluation
13:45 – Bathgate
14:15 – Ilikedwayurthinkin
14:50 – Fourofakind
15:25 – Castle Carrock
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
12:45 – Kandor
A tricky puzzle to solve despite the small field but preference is for KANDOR who opened his account over hurdles at Perth in the summer. He’s had a wind op since his mid-field finish at Hexham last month, and sports a tongue-tie for the first time here; Lucinda Russell has a £31.58 profit to a £1 level stake with chasers running in first time headgear.
A runner-up in Irish points earlier in his career, he can make the successful transition to chasing at the expense of Step Out, who was unsuited by the drop in trip when well held here earlier in the month and also makes his chase bow. The two have met before, with Kandor beating his rival by a length and a quarter, albeit in receipt of weight. Immortal Flame made a fair start to his chasing career when second at Bangor, and this quicker ground should suit more than last time, so he’s very much respected.
13:15 – Evaluation
No real depth to this novices’ hurdle but EVALUATION is firmly established as a useful staying performer on the level and is taken to make it first time lucky now tackling timber for the first time. Now in the care of Lucinda Russell, the Dubawi gelding won off a mark of 86 at Wolverhampton in April and could be a class above his rivals here.
Newcomer Clondaw Fame, a half-brother to the bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Sneaky Getawa, could well emerge as the chief danger ahead of Irish point winner Gorvennec who should appreciate this better ground now making his hurdling debut for last year’s winning yard.
13:45 – Bathgate
A few with chances but BATHGATE signalled he is ready to gain a breakthrough victory when an excellent C&D runner-up last time out. It’s taken a while for connections to work him out, with the four-year-old sent off at 22/1+ on his first three starts for the yard, but he was shorter in the betting last time and rewarded backers with an improved effort behind Adveram.
The handicapper has edged him back up 3 lb, but he looks the type to go on now the penny has dropped. Hat-trick seeking Balranald rates the obvious threat with a 4 lb rise not excessive, with in-form duo Dalileo and Summergrounds both firmly in the picture too. The lightly-raced point-to-point winner Love That completes the shortlist.
14:15 – Ilikedwayurthinkin
All three need considering, with the vote going to ILIKEDWAYURTHINKIN who was third in a better race than this at Cartmel 11 weeks ago. The Ben Haslam-trained veteran has had a good summer, winning at Cartmel in June and July (by a length from Motion In Limine), and was a respectable third to Tommie Beau back there last time.
Fresh after a break and back on better ground, he’s fancied to see off Arctic Row who has an excellent record here so is next best on his second try at this distance. No Regrets chased home the selection in July and may have to revert to more prominent tactics if he is to reverse the form under 4 lb better terms.
14:50 – Fourofakind
Top-weight FOUROFAKIND continued in top form when making the frame at Carlisle 10 days ago and, with Conor Rabbitt back in the saddle (on board for both wins this season), he can take advantage of the return to this lower grade. The Timeform pace prediction for this handicap is ‘Very Weak’, and it’s likely that could favour the selection who tends to be ridden fairly close to the pace.
Follow Charlie won twice over C&D last season and could be the main danger, ahead of Carlisle scorer Kilbrainy and Highly Recommend who was sold out of Mel Rowley’s stable £38,000 after his Ludlow win last month. Dianne Sayer has a £39.25 profit to a £1 level stake when having only one runner on the card so he’s one to keep an eye on.
15:25 – Castle Carrock
A very winnable-looking race. Nicky Richards operates at a 25% strike-rate in bumpers here so newcomer CASTLE CARROCK, whose dam was a dual bumper winner/2¼m hurdle winner, looks the most likely victor before any market clues are known.
Iain Jardine is more than capable of readying one for a race like this so Wild Reiver is a tentative second choice ahead of Irish point runner-up Shes All Pride, a first ever Ayr runner for Deborah Cole. Derek Fox looks a notable jockey booking for Irish challenger Portnablagh, though Paul Traynor’s four-year-old showed nothing in a point-to-point last month.
Ayr Betting Tips:
12:45 – Kandor
13:15 – Evaluation
13:45 – Bathgate
14:15 – Ilikedwayurthinkin
14:50 – Fourofakind
15:25 – Castle Carrock
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
READ MORE
- Get all the latest Horse Racing News and Racing Tipsat Paddy Power News
- Horse Racing: Get your one month free trial of Racing TV
- Ruby Walsh delivers his verdict on the Cheltenham Festival changes for 2025
- When is the King George VI Chase 2024? Kempton date, start time, runners and betting
- Pertemps Final qualification races and eligible horses for Cheltenham Festival 2025