- Rubaud seeks to repeat last year’s triumph in Scottish Championship Hurdle
- Harry Cobden rides Stay Away Fay in the Scottish Grand National on Saturday
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
(function (src, d, tag){
var s = d.createElement(tag), prev = d.getElementsByTagName(tag)[0];
s.src = src;
prev.parentNode.insertBefore(s, prev);
}(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/1.17.0/async_bundle–.js”, document, “script”));
<!–
DM.loadCSS(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/gunther-2159/video_bundle–.css”);
<!–
Trainer Paul Nicholls has 10 runners at Ayr on Saturday, including two in the Scottish Grand National.
Leading jump jockey Harry Cobden rides young chasing star Stay Away Fay in the feature race at 15.35.
Here, the Betfair ambassador shares his thoughts on his ten runners at Ayr on Saturday afternoon.
Ayr
13:15 – Sans Bruit
He was a bit too keen on his first two starts since joining us this season but then showed much more over fences at Chepstow before came good in style at Aintree nine days ago with the help of a positive ride from Bryony Frost. Although he’s been raised 10lbs he’s tough, seems to be thriving and should again be competitive if this race doesn’t come soon after Aintree.
13:50 – Mofasa
New to us this season he won tidily on his second start over fences at Huntingdon but struggled with his breathing next time so we gave him a wind op. I’ve had this race in mind for him for a while and needed to get a run into him first at Newbury where he wasn’t fully wound up. He has improved plenty for that outing.
14:25 – Rubaud
He won this race stylishly last year off a mark of handicap 135 on good ground and has a much harder task this time off 148. I don’t think he was right when he ran below par last time on heavy ground at Wincanton. Rubaud seem in a good place at the moment but I’d say he has it all to do off top weight on ground that is softer than he prefers.
14:25 – Afadil
He’s been running at the top of his form this spring and comes here a week after finishing third in a competitive conditional jockeys’ handicap at Aintree despite losing ground after a standing start. With Freddie Gingell claiming a handy 5lbs Afadil has a lovely light weight of only 10st 3lbs and has a sporting each way chance.
15:00 – Larchmont Lass
She is useful and ran very well last time when keeping on into fourth place in the valuable EBF Mares’ final at Newbury a month ago. She has been crying out for this step up to three miles and has solid claims with only 10st 4lbs on her back.
15:35 – Stay Away Fay
He’s a class horse but life isn’t going to be easy for him running off top weight of twelve stone off a mark of 158. It just didn’t happen for him in the Turners at Cheltenham where he was never happy, didn’t travel in the ground and his jumping let him down. We’ve removed the cheekpieces he wore there as they didn’t seem to work and I’ve felt for some time he would be suited by marathon trips. The track at Ayr should be much suitable for him.
15:35 – Broken Halo
He was in with a shout when falling two out in the London National at Sandown in December and more recently earned a shot at the Scottish National after staying on stoutly to win decisively over three and a half miles at Taunton last month. Raised 5lbs now to a mark of 135 in a much stronger race he looks an interesting outsider.
16:10 – Welcome To Cartries
He has progressed well this season, won decisively at Ascot and was then second to a smart sort in the River Don at Doncaster in January. That form looks solid and the ground that day was probably a bit quicker than he liked. Conditions at Ayr will be more suitable for him.
16:45 – Jetronic
The switch back to hurdles paid off when he won nicely from the front upped in trip to two and a half miles at Plumpton last month. I’d like to think he can be right in the mix.
17:20 – Histrionic
He won a Point-to-Point in Ireland a year ago and ran with plenty of promise on his debut for us before disappointing at Newbury on heavy ground. I’m not sure of the reason though it might be he wants better conditions like most of his family and I’m hoping it might dry up to good to soft for him. It’s encouraging that Histrionic is working beautifully at home.
Best chance
Afadil EW. 14.25. He is running consistently and should again be in the frame.
