Racecards
14:00 Ayr
JW Grant Builders Merchants Handicap (Class 2)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 1m
- Going: Good (Good to Firm in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £30,000 added
- Winner: £18,675
- 2nd: £5,592
- 3rd: £2,796
- 4th: £1,398
- Form 8/877-67
- Age 7
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer Ollie Pears
- Jockey Ben Robinson
chased leaders early, gradually lost place into mid-division, outpaced halfway, soon beaten
- Form 3/2214-6
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer H & R Charlton
- Jockey Adam J McNamara
in touch on inside, under pressure over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, soon eased
- Form 23374-9
- Age 6
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer Mrs Marjorie Fife
- Jockey J P Sullivan
held up towards rear, headway over 3f out, chased leaders over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 076915
- Age 6
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer D O'Meara
- Jockey Cam Hardie
always prominent, hard driven to challenge over 2f out, kept on well under pressure, no chance with winner
- Form 112-412
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer R Varian
- Jockey C O'Donoghue
mid-division, headway on inside over 2f out, soon not clear run and switched right, ran on into 3rd, never a threat
- Form 212815
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer Tom Dascombe
- Jockey Alistair Rawlinson
dwelt, behind, headway over 1f out, never nearer
- Form 236-119
- Age 4
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer K Dalgleish
- Jockey P Hanagan
held up, headway halfway, chased leaders over 2f out, kept on same pace
- Form 513-362
- Age 6
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey Rachel Richardson
prominent, lost place over 2f out
- Form 00-5304
- Age 7
- Weight 8-6
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey Barry McHugh
held up in rear, headway over 2f out, chased leaders inside final furlong, no extra closing stages
- Form 939-451
- Age 8
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 81
- Trainer R Fell & S Murray
- Jockey B A Curtis
made all, drew clear over 1f out, ran on strongly
Verdict
BLUE MIST will be sharper for last month’s pipe-opener in the Victoria Cup at Ascot where he finished a respectable sixth. Back over his winning trip today, Roger Charlton’s charge should make a bold bid. Game Player ran well at Goodwood last time though all three wins so far have been over 7f while Club Wexford is upped a couple of grades after scoring at Wetherby. Universal Gleam scored over track and trip before struggling over 1m2f at Ripon behind fifth-placed Waarif and the runner-up Just Hiss. Sha La La La Lee won a decent handicap at Chester earlier while Nicholas T was successful in this contest in 2017 but hasn’t won since.
Formwatch
Carry On Deryck 66-1 (9-7) Held up mid-division, outpaced 3f out, behind final 2f, 7th of 10, 14 1/2l behind Fayez (8-6) at Ripon 1m 1f hcp (2) gd in May.
Blue Mist 8-1 (8-11) Held up towards rear, headway near side of group over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, nearest finish, 6th of 26, 2 3/4l behind Cape Byron (9-3) at Ascot 7f hcp (2) gs in May.
Banksea 33-1 (9-6) Steadied and switched left start, held up in rear, ridden and beaten 4f out, tailed off, 9th of 10, 31 1/4l behind Aquarium (9-7) at Chester 1m 2f hcp (2) sft in May.
Waarif (IRE) 4-1fav (9-11) Tracked leaders, took keen hold, effort and hung right over 1f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong, 5th of 10, 3 1/4l behind Fayez (9-7) at Ripon 1m 2f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Game Player (IRE) 9-4 (8-10) Slowly into stride, held up, headway over 1f out, soon chasing leaders, ran on into 2nd inside final furlong, never reached winner, 2nd of 9, 1 1/4l behind Apex King (8-2) at Goodwood 7f hcp (2) gd in May.
Hortzadar 17-2 (9-2) Held up towards rear, headway on outside over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, never going pace to reach leaders, 5th of 14, 8l behind Gossiping (8-7) at Epsom 1m 1f hcp (2) gd in May.
Sha La La La Lee 8-1 (8-10) Slowly into stride, towards rear, pushed along over 4f out, ridden well over 1f out, stayed on towards finish, 5th of 10, 2 1/2l behind Kaeso (8-7) at Chester 1m hcp (2) gd in May.
Universal Gleam 5-1 (9-3) Led, headed 8f out, chased leader until over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong, 9th of 10, 10 1/4l behind Fayez (9-7) at Ripon 1m 2f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Just Hiss 10-1 (9-3) Chased leaders, effort over 1f out, every chance inside final furlong, kept on, no impression on winner, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Fayez (9-7) at Ripon 1m 2f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Nicholas T 9-1 (8-5) Held up towards rear, headway chasing leaders over 2f out, ridden and hung left from inside final 2f, 4th and one pace final furlong, 4th of 14, 5 1/4l behind Al Muffrih (8-12) at Redcar 1m 2f hcp (2) gf in May.
Club Wexford (IRE) 13-2 (9-1) A little slow to break, soon mid-division, effort 2f out, challenged inside final furlong, led final 75 yards, stayed on, won at Wetherby 1m hcp (4) gf in May beating Markazi (9-8) by nk, 9 ran.