Timeform Daily: Friday, Ayr 3:55

Tipping / Timeform / 11 March 2010 / Leave a comment

The Ayr card is highlighted by a competitive looking nine-runner handicap chase...

"Fiftyfive Degrees posted his third win in all over fences when collecting here last time. That was a career-best run and since he stays this far he heads straight to the top of the shortlist."

Camden George has some fairly useful chase form to his name, his best effort this term was when he finished second at Market Rasen in November. He has yet to go this far, however, and he is not a certain stayer by any means.

El Bandindos ended 2007/8 on the up, winning twice, and he made a successful chasing debut last June. He made a bad mistake the next month and has been off since, leaving David Pipe during the interim. He is open to further progress.

Justwhateveryoulike won back-to-back handicap chases at Kelso last year over this distance in April, then in November. He made mistakes when already facing a stiff task at the weights back there on Saturday, and this is much more his level.

Royal Mackintosh's four career wins have all come at Carlisle, including over hurdles on his reappearance. He is better known as a chaser, and he was not discredited when third to L'Aventure over four miles at Kelso last time. He rates as a place contender.

Fiftyfive Degrees posted his third win in all over fences when collecting here last time. That was a career-best run and since he stays this far he heads straight to the top of the shortlist.

Categorical seemed to be revitalised by the switch back to his former trainer when ending a losing run at Newcastle last time. He stays three miles, but the handicapper has had his say (back up 11 lb), so it is better to look elsewhere.

Harry Flashman is an above-average hurdler, but he has not been as good over fences despite opening his chase account at Hexham in May. He was error-prone and has not built on that, though, making late mistakes over C&D last time.

Snowy is an unreliable front runner who did manage to score at Kelso in October. He has failed to complete on his last two starts, however, and he looks the owners' second-string here behind Fiftyfive Degrees.

General Hardi gained an overdue first success over fences at Newcastle in March 2009. There were excuses for the last two runs, and he was badly hampered at Catterick on his latest outing, but he needs to brush up his jumping if he's to win more races.

Verdict

Fiftyfive Degrees hasn't got many miles on the clock and the step back up in distance won't bother him after posting a career best to score here in February. General Hardi could prove troublesome if tidying up his jumping, while there could be more to come over fences from El Bandindos, having his first start for Peter Monteith.

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