Ayr’s biggest jumping crowd of the year will be denied a chance to see Tony McCoy attempt to win the Scottish Grand National for only the second time in his career after his expected mount Benvolio was ruled out of the race on Friday morning but in every other respect this renewal of an event that generally features among the top 10 races of the year in terms of turnover is everything that a big betting race should be.
Three horses set off at a single-figure price for the Grand National at Aintree last week but at the overnight stage for today’s race there was not one runner in the 30-strong field at a best price of less than 10-1. Gallant Oscar, who was bought by JP McManus earlier in the week, is too low in the weights to give McCoy an alternative booking but goes to post with a strong chance, the one doubt being that he has yet to complete a race at this sort of trip.
Broadway Buffalo and Sego Success both ran well in the four-mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham but last year’s winner Al Co (3.45) looks the value bet in the race off just a 5lb higher mark. He was unlucky to lose his rider when hampered at the first in the Grand National but returns to the track and trip where he scored an impressive success 12 months ago as a relatively fresh horse after only two previous starts in 2015, both over hurdles.
Newbury 1.45 Romsdal developed into a fine staying three-year-old last season, finishing his campaign with a strong second place behind Kingston Hill in the St Leger at Doncaster. He has the beating of Windshear and Scotland on that form, and the benefit of a race this season too, having won a Listed event at Kempton in late March, which should give him a crucial edge over his main market rival, Arab Spring.
Ayr 2.00 Oscar Rock was useful over hurdles, finishing third in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December 2013, and has made steady progress over fences this season, winning twice in handicap company including off a mark of 138 at Kelso last time out. He still has something to find with the 153-rated Top Gamble on the figures, but Malcolm Jefferson’s runner is going the right way and can make a successful step up to Grade Two company here.
Newbury 2.15 Tiggy Wiggy will rightly start favourite here having compiled an outstanding record in her juvenile season. She was a close second behind Anthem Alexander in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and then won her next three starts including a reversal of the Ascot form when concluding her year with a three-quarter length success in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes. The big question mark, however, is whether she will be as effective beyond sprint trips and today’s seven furlongs could prove to be one too many. Jellicle Ball has more than a stone to find with Tiggy Wiggy according to Timeform but her debut success in a Kempton maiden last October was recorded in impressive fashion as she cruised past her field from well off the pace. At the prices on offer she is an interesting bet to improve past the favourite.
Ayr 2.35 This is a very tight limited handicap with several classy hurdlers in opposition. Calipto was disappointing in the Imperial Cup last time but had done little wrong to that point and could be the one to side with if he is back to anything like his best.
Newbury 2.50 Several of last season’s leading juvenile colts line up in opposition, and Ivawood could be the one to emerge as the best prospect for this year’s Classics. Unlike Belardo, the Dewhurst Stakes winner, Ivawood has yet to record a victory at the highest level but could not have gone much closer in the Middle Park Stakes, when he was nosed out of it by Charming Thought. Kool Kompany, Thursday’s Craven Stakes winner, was among the also-rans there and, while Belardo should offer a stern test, he will not get the easy surface which seemed to bring out the best in him at Newmarket.
Ayr 3.10 Le Bacardy has yet to register a win this season but did so four times in the 2013-14 campaign, including a neck success in this race off a 5lb lower mark. He has left Tony Carroll to join the up-and-coming yard of Dan Skelton since his last start in December and the stable could not be in better form after four winners at the final Cheltenham meeting of the season earlier this week.
Newbury 3.20 Buckstay and Gabrial could be the two to concentrate on here after strong runs in the Spring Mile and Lincoln Handicap respectively. Gabrial came from the pack to beat Mondialiste, who ran well in Group Three company at Newmarket on Thursday, in the Lincoln, but is up 5lb for that and Buckstay makes more appeal. He was perhaps in front a little too soon under the apprentice Tom Marquand in the Spring Mile and eventually went down by three lengths to Chatez, but the time suggests that it was very strong form and Jim Crowley should be able to time his challenge right today.
