The Scottish Grand National is the major attraction at Ayr on Saturday as its two-day meeting finishes with a bang.
There is also the Scottish Champion Hurdle for punters to get stuck into, and our expert, Clive Gildon, has three selections at Ayr. Among them is a strong fancy in the opening handicap chase.
Saturday’s tips
- 13:15 Ayr – Persian Time @ 11/2
- 14:25 Ayr – Florida Dreams @ 12/1
- 15:35 Ayr – Autonomous Cloud @ 16/1
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13:15 Ayr – Persian Time
There is sure to be some value in opposing the horses trained by Paul Nicholls, Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins at Ayr on Saturday, with the three embroiled in a super scrap for the British trainers’ title.
In the opening handicap chase on the card, Mullins’ representative Uncle Phil looks on a high enough mark of 150 based on what he has achieved, while the Nicholls-trained Sans Bruit backs up quickly after he endured a challenging race with a slow finishing speed when winning at Aintree nine days ago.
The Skelton-trained Pembroke is to be feared most off a break, but bottom-weight Persian Time looks the best at the prices and has been aimed at this race.
There should be a strong pace on here and that will suit Persian Time, who rallied well to score over 2m2f at Kempton in March at a time when Nicky Henderson’s horses were not firing.
The yard is going much better now and Persian Time has collateral formlines that tie in with smart novice chasers Djelo and Homme Public earlier in the campaign. He ran well in a novice hurdle at this meeting last season and that cements confidence further.
14:25 Ayr – Florida Dreams
Florida Dreams, one of the top bumper performers from last season, could have done with slightly drier ground, but connections have been targeting this race all season under trainer Nicky Richards.
After showing a superb turn of foot to land a slowly run Grade 2 Aintree bumper this time last year, Florida Dreams has only scored once over hurdles (maiden hurdle over course and distance) in a stop-start campaign, which could be due to the testing ground.
He was fifth in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day when conditions were atrocious before failing to stay 3m at Musselburgh while jumping badly.
However, he hurdled better in previous outings, and there is little doubt he is exceptionally well handicapped off 128 if bouncing back. His profile reminds me of the previous Aintree Grade 2 bumper winner Lookaway, who took a little while to find his feet but improved massively as he gained experience.
15:35 Ayr – Autonomous Cloud
There is a question mark surrounding the state of the ground at Ayr, but Autonomous Cloud goes on anything. He stands out at the odds for Fergal O’Brien.
Autonomous Cloud has long shaped as if capable of bagging a major staying chase and has looked better the further he has gone, improving his Racing Post Rating with each start up until he was pulled up when well fancied for the Welsh Grand National.
An excuse came to light there, though, as he bled from the nose. That would doubtless have put many off when Autonomous Cloud returned following 80 days off in a first-time tongue-tie in the Midlands National at Uttoxeter last month, but he was bang there jumping the last before just weakening out of things.
That run should have brought him forward, and he rates a big player off a 1lb lower mark and carrying a low weight under Jonny Burke.
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