Racecards
13:30 Ayr
Skybet.Com Conditional Jockeys' Claiming Hurdle (Class F)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
Birkdale (IRE)
601- Form 0232P0/
- Age 12
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey C Sharkey
held up towards rear, headway halfway, tracked leader going well approaching 3 out, ridden and one pace next
- Form 450P20
- Age 8
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey V T Keane
held up in rear, pushed along 4 out, ridden next, led approaching 2 out, stayed on strongly
- Form 12FP1/P
- Age 11
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer L Lungo
- Jockey G Berridge
led to halfway, dropped rear 7th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 3P2P0-6
- Age 6
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer Mrs L Normile
- Jockey James Davies
tracked leaders, reminder 5th, ridden 4 out, weakened after next
Hayaain
443- Form P0/0252-
- Age 10
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer N W Alexander
- Jockey P Robson
tracked leader, led halfway, pushed along 4 out, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, one pace under pressure
Solway Dawn
18- Form P40035
- Age 8
- Weight 10-1
- Trainer Ms Liz Harrison
- Jockey D C Costello
held up in touch, reminder 6th and dropped rear, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 5 out
In depth
Verdict
Hayaain and Colonial Rule are little better than moderate so neither Sumthyne Special nor Birkdale would need to retain much ability to win this and preference is for the latter, who is taken to give weight away all round. The selection has not been seen since his 10th of 11 finishers behind Bindaree in the 2002 Grand National but is unlikely to have been brought back by connections unless he was ready. Birkdale makes more appeal than Sumthyne Special, who was pulled up on his latest start at Hexham in May having been off for more than a year prior to that. Colonial Rule is on a long losing sequence and there has been little sign of him bucking the trend since leaving the yard of Jonjo O'Neill for his current handler. Hayaain makes most appeal of the remainder as he at least has been running consistently well in handicaps of late, while Lantern Leader has given little sign of encouragement in recent starts in Ireland and now has his first outing since joining the yard of Lucinda Russell. With so many doubts concerning most of the participants this is probably not a race to get heavily involved in but Birkdale is more than capable of giving weight and a beating to his rivals and gets the vote on his comeback outing.