Racecards
14:40 Ayr
Victorchandler.com Novices' Chase (Class 4)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £6,000 added
- Form 01-1F21
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey B P Harding
keen in touch, led 4th, unchallenged after, eased flat, comfortably
- Form 11/15P5
- Age 9
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer P Monteith
- Jockey K Renwick
tracked leader until 4th, remained close up, ridden to chase easy winner 4 out, kept on, blundered last
- Form P36862
- Age 10
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 48
- Trainer W G Young
- Jockey Ryan Mania
led, blundered and headed 4th, chased winner until 4 out, kept on no chance
- Form 07-617P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer B Storey
- Jockey B S Hughes
alway in rear, struggling from 5 out
- Form 0009R5
- Age 7
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer J Fox
- Jockey Adrian Lane
keen held up intouch, struggling from 5 out, blundered next, pulled up before 2 out
In depth
Verdict
Another short-priced favourite whom it is hard to see past is NOBLE ALAN, who can land this novices' chase at the main expense of El Bandindos. The selection has to give weight away all around and already has a notable win to his name when he landed the Scottish Champion Hurdle here over two miles 11 months ago. Nicky Richards' seven-year-old goes on any ground with good in the description and looks sure to stay this far on his first try at 2m 4f, and he is very difficult to oppose. El Bandindos is another who goes on a sound surface and stays three miles, so this may be on the short side for him unless he can go on and make it a stiff test. Either way, he has around a stone-and-a-half to find with our pick and the frame looks his most likely finishing position. Le Platino has won twice, in a Catterick bumper when the ground was fast, and more recently in a heavy ground Haydock novices' hurdle. He has not been able to produce his best in two subsequent starts and he will need a marked improvement from his incomplete chase debut to win this. The other pair have the proverbial mountain to climb and may not have the full equipment to do so, and we will stick with Noble Alan.
Formwatch
Noble Alan (GER) 4-11fav (11-4) Tracked leader, going well when badly hampered and carried off course by sole rival after 2 out, continued, finished alone, won at Hexham 2m nov chs (3) gd, 3 ran.
El Bandindos (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, outpaced 4 out, soon tailed off, last of 5, well behind Ernst Blofeld (11-4) at Carlisle 3m nov chs (3) gs.
Ellandshe (IRE) 100-1 (10-11) Held up in touch, lost place 10th, left in remote 3rd at last, stayed on to go 2nd flat, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, well behind Spellchecker (11-0) at Sedgefield 2m 4f mdn chs (4) gd.
Le Platino (GER) 22-1 (11-10) Hampered start, held up, mid-division, blundered 11th, weakened from 5 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Silver Dollars (10-6) at Musselburgh 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Feb, 11 ran.
Lightening Sky (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Raced well off pace towards rear, kept on same pace from before 4 out, 5th of 9, well behind Earth And Sky (11-5) at Down Royal 2m beg chase gd.