Racecards
13:45 Ayr
Merigo's Looking Forward To Another Scottish National Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Winner: £3,249
- 2nd: £954
- 3rd: £477
- 4th: £238
- Form 12-17P5
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey P Buchanan
in touch, headway to track leaders after 6th, slow next, outpaced 4 out, soon rallied, every chance 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on well close home
- Form P2-111
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey Henry Brooke
made all, hard pressed from 3 out, held on under pressure, all out
- Form 244/13
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer M Smith
- Jockey Danny Cook
in touch, went 2nd after 3rd, under pressure before 3 out, left in remote 3rd at next, never able to challenge
- Form F34-521
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer W Amos
- Jockey Callum Whillans
chased leaders, ridden to challenge 3 out, soon every chance, fell next
- Form 11-5968
- Age 12
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer A Parker
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
tracked leader, slow 3rd, soon in touch, raced wide approaching 4th, soon weakened, detatched when pulled up before 4 out
- Form 5/11342
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer Miss P Robson
- Jockey R McGrath
held up in rear but in touch, weakened 5 out, soon tailed off, pulled up after next
- Form 688
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer Mrs L B Normile
- Jockey Mr A Voy
held up in rear but in touch, pushed along 4th, weakened 5 out, pulled up before next
- Form 28-1P38
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey B P Harding
Nonrunner
- Form 4P-P42P
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer M A Barnes
- Jockey M J McAlister
Nonrunner
- Form 12-1F1F
- Age 10
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer N W Alexander
- Jockey Lucy Alexander
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
Three of these carry winners' penalties but Kris Cross and Streams Of Whiskey have failed to threaten since scoring last year. SWATOW TYPHOON is the exception as he followed up a bumper win here with victory at this track on last month's hurdling debut and is fancied to continue his good progress. Shanen's best effort so far over timber also came at this course when he finished third over 2m and he'll figure if lasting home while winning chaser Isla Pearl Fisher reverts to hurdling for the first time since 2009. Merigo has the race named in his honour and this should provide a good prep before the dual Scottish Grand National hero has another crack at next month's renewal.
Formwatch
Kris Cross (IRE) 100-1 (11-4) Held up in touch in last pair, not fluent 3 out, soon beaten, 5th of 6, 12l behind Superior Quality (11-4) at Musselburgh 3m nov hdl (3) gs in Feb.
Swatow Typhoon (IRE) 9-4fav (11-4) Made all, pushed along before 3 out, kept on well flat, won at Ayr 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Feb beating Talkin Sence (11-6) by 7l, 7 ran.
Indigo Rock (IRE) 7-2 (12-0) Alw pr, cl up 3out, chall 2out, not qckn bef last, 3rd of 13, 5l behind Top Four (12-0) at Ballinaboola 3m ire ptp sft in Jan.
Isaacstown Lad (IRE) 5-2 (12-0) Made all, went on 2out, ko, won at Lisronagh 3m ire ptp hvy in Dec beating Mattie's Passion (12-0) by 8l, 14 ran.
Merigo (FR) 25-1 (11-4) Mid-division on outer, pushed along before 7th, soon lost place, tailed off, last of 8, well behind Rolecarr (11-1) at Kelso 2m 7f Am hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Feb.
Shanen (IRE) 4-1 (11-7) Held up in last pair in touch, headway on outside after 4 out, chased leading pair after next, went 2nd 2 out, kept on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 14l behind Stopped Out (11-12) at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) hvy in Dec.
Black Velvet Belle (IRE) 66-1 (10-7) Led early, with leader, pushed along over 5f out, weakened over 3f out, last of 8, 44l behind Plan Again (11-3) at Musselburgh 2m NH flat (6) gs in Feb.
Streams Of Whiskey (IRE) 6-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, not always fluent, ridden after 9th, mistake and weakened 3 out, 8th of 10, 31l behind Forestside (11-3) at Ayr 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) hvy in Jan.
Across The Tweed (IRE) 33-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, mistake 2nd, pushed along before next and dropped rear, soon tailed off, pulled up 4 out, in a race won by Dingo Bay (10-7) at Newcastle 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy in Feb, 8 ran.
Attycran (IRE) 28-1 (11-8) Towards rear and pushed along, reminders before 5th, soon weakened, pulled up, in a race won by Coverholder (9-7) at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy in Feb, 9 ran.
Blue Kascade (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Led, headed before 4 out, chased leaders, weakened before 2 out, 4th of 10, 22l behind Corrin Wood (10-12) at Carlisle 2m 3f nov hdl (4) hvy in Dec.
Isla Pearl Fisher 7-2 (11-0) In rear, headway 5 out, ridden and held in in 3rd when fell 4 out, in a race won by Pentiffic (10-9) at Musselburgh 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan, 7 ran.