Some of Monday’s action has been lost to the extreme weather expected, but three courses have remained defiant. Our 6,572/1 Lucky 15 top tips come from Ayr and Ballinrobe.
Monsieur Kodi (3.00 Ayr)
It is only a week between runs for Middleham Park’s MONSIEUR KODI, but where he narrowly missed last week, he can gain redemption here.
The three-year-old won for the first time at Carlisle last month off a mark of 60. Despite a relatively small margin of success, that saw Richard Fahey’s charge go up 6lb in the handicap on what was also his first run over 6f on turf.
He failed to contend next time out at Doncaster, but on his first run over course and distance last time out, he reproduced close to his best. Despite running slightly keenly, he was beaten just a neck with a rating of 67.
He is able to run here off that same mark and for the first time, he is ridden by Fahey’s new number one Oisin Orr. There is surely little chance of being out of contention.
Merricourt (4.45 Ayr)
It is a bit of a surprise that Iain Jardine’s course and distance winner is such a big each-way price here. Indeed, MERRICOURT has three wins at the venue all told.
His latest win came over track and trip in April. That saw him go up just 2lb given it was only a five-runner field, but the form has been boosted by beaten horses since. He was also a clear second at Carlisle next time out.
That effort actually initiated a greater rise in the weights than his victory and he could only finish down the field at Musselburgh latest. However, that was also in a class 3, a rise in tier from his previous races and also a class above this race on Monday.
He is back down 1lb in the handicap and while that still represents his second-highest career mark, this is a track he relishes and he could easily bounce back.
Ideal Pal (5.35 Ballinrobe)
Mischief Star is a bit of a claiming race specialist, while Sevenal has the advantage on ratings. However, IDEAL PAL is taken to upset the pair, among others.
His formbook does not look too pretty in recent times, with four successive “duck eggs” on the flat. However, the first three of those were in very competitive handicaps off a mark of 80, while only two starts prior to that run, he won off a rating of 72 over this distance at Gowran Park.
In the meantime, he has also won over hurdles, but this trip is more to his liking on the flat. As such, the 1m4f he faced at the Curragh last time out may have been a little too far in the Apprentice Derby, especially as he was conceding weight to all bar one of his rivals.
This race is nowhere near even that standard and he should bounce back to be among the principles here.
Miss Cunning (7.35 Ballinrobe)
Trained by Aengus King, MISS CUNNING has been the only winner on the flat for the yard since having their first runner on the level in 2021.
King has had 175 combatants over jumps though, so he is more experienced than his numbers on the flat suggest, Nevertheless, 13 of his 14 flat races have seen this mare take part and twice she has been victorious.
The most recent of those came over 1m at Listowel at the beginning of June. That was in a 15-runner race and just five days later, she contested a race markedly up in trip to 1m4f and ran more than a decent race to be fourth of 17, beaten under two lengths.
She was most recently second at Limerick against her own sex, albeit beaten six lengths, but once again, that was right back in trip to 1m. Returning to a middle distance trip might help her once again.