Racecards
17:30 Ayr
Caledonia Best Handicap Chase (Class 4)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Good (Good to Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Winner: £4,549
- 2nd: £1,336
- 3rd: £668
- 4th: £334
- Form 8-3444P
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer A C Whillans
- Jockey Craig Nichol
tracked leaders in 3rd, soon went 2nd, led 13th, headed 4 out, ridden before last, no extra
- Form 18-8334
- Age 10
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer James Moffatt
- Jockey Lucy Alexander
in rear, weakened from 14th
- Form 13-P435
- Age 9
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 106
- Trainer Miss S E Forster
- Jockey Jamie Hamilton
tracked leader, led 8th, headed 13th, ridden and weakened before 2 out
- Form 21249-4
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 106
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey Grant Cockburn
mid-division, towards rear when fell 8th
- Form 05362P
- Age 11
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer M M McNiff
- Jockey D R Fox
led to 8th, blundered next, soon lost place, jumped slow in rear 10th
- Form 751111
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer W Young Jnr
- Jockey Sean Quinlan
towards rear, headway before 6 out, went 3rd before 4 out, led before last, kept on well
- Form 36/4335-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer R Dobbin
- Jockey Lorcan Murtagh
tracked leaders, weakened from 14th
- Form 42-3474
- Age 7
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer S Corbett
- Jockey James Corbett
behind, headway before 12th, with leader 14th, led 4 out, headed before last, kept on
In depth
Verdict
FORMIDABLE OPPONENT has rattled up four wins on the bounce with his latest victory at Hexham. He’s up a further 9lb but won by six lengths last time and should make another bold bid. Harleys Max is often thereabouts without winning and Perth regular Gleann Na Ndochais has been back on a winning mark for some time now without getting any closer. Amuse Me was placed at Cartmel during the summer while Alizee De Janeiro is unexposed over fences and won off today’s mark over timber last season.
Formwatch
Gleann Na Ndochais (IRE) 9-1 (11-9) Chased leaders in 4th, reminders after 9th, weakened 11th, mistakes next and 2 out, pulled up before last, at Perth 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Sep.
Amuse Me 5-1 (10-8) Held up, in rear, ridden 9th, struggling next, stumbled last, plugged on flat, went 4th towards finish, 4th of 7, 21 1/2l behind Wadswick Court (11-7) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp (3) gs in Aug.
Lowanbehold (IRE) 28-1 (10-8) Led to 3rd, in touch, outpaced 5 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 9, dist behind Amilliontimes (10-8) at Carlisle 2m 5f hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Alizee De Janeiro (FR) 9-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders on outside, not fluent 4 out, soon outpaced, no impression after, 4th of 5, 10 3/4l behind Sword of The Lord (11-10) at Perth 2m hcp (4) gs in Sep.
Sean Airgead (IRE) 11-1 (11-12) Mid-division, mistake 1st, 7th before 5 out, pushed along after next, no impression and pulled up before 2 out, at Downpatrick 2m 5f hcp Yielding - Soft in Oct.
Formidableopponent (IRE) 9-4fav (10-11) Towards rear, headway before 3 out, led last, soon clear, eased towards finish, won at Hexham 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in Oct beating Brother Scott (10-10) by 6l, 8 ran.
Vinny Gambini (IRE) 6-1 (10-13) Mid-division, mistake 6th, headway 9th, weakened 5 out, 5th of 7, dist behind Court Dismissed (11-6) at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (4) gs in Mar.
Harleys Max 10-1 (10-0) In rear, headway before 3 out, ridden and no extra run-in, 4th of 7, 5 1/2l behind Tikkandemickey (10-13) at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Oct.