Ayr Racing Tips: Friday Fancies At Scottish Grand National Meeting

After the amazing Aintree Festival, Willie Mullins is in pole position to somehow retain the British Trainers' Title. He sends an army of horses to Ayr for their Scottish Grand National Meeting, but on Friday his entries are light in comparison to the big day on Saturday. Billy Grimshaw has found two Friday bets to get stuck into...

15:15 Ayr - Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase

The Skelton outfit have a fine record in this race and will be itching to bag a few Ayr winners before the Mullins team arrive in force on Saturday to battle for the Trainers' Title, and I think they have an outstanding chance of making it three from six with RISKINTHEGROUND. He won off 127 back in September at Bangor, his last victory, and while he has not won as many races as connections would probably have liked, five from twenty five ain't a bad record and everything looks primed for today to be the day he gets his first victory of 2025. 

He is a good ground horse, looked to be relishing his run over an inadequate trip last time out at Newbury when a decent five length fifth after a winter in which the team chucked him into races he would never have a chance in like the Kingmaker and has Harry Skelton back in the plate which is a plus. It was lenient of the handicapper to drop him a pound for that close up fifth last time out in my view and the Skeltons will be taking full advantage.

He is a real hold up horse and as such I am hopeful of a fast pace in here, which should be almost guaranteed with Lucinda Russell's Walk On Quest in the field. He can only race one way and that is like the clappers from minute one to the end, so hopefully he's not given a freebie, but providing he makes this a test at the trip RIskintheground is the most likely winner.

16:25 Ayr - Coral Handicap Hurdle

RED RISK has Harry Cobden in the plate and while he is no spring chicken at ten and has the burden of top weight in this contest, on his best old form he is still very well treated and I fancy the Ditcheat veteran to give weight and a beating to this field in the penultimate race at Ayr on Friday. Cobden's Aintree successes came from the front end in chase races but he is hardly a one trick pony, with the former champion jockey a superb judge of a race over either hurdles or fences and more than happy to sit midfield if his horse requires that rather than being sent to the front.

The ground at Ayr is officially good to soft but one suspects it'll be on the quicker side and that will be a plus for Red Risk, who has a fine record on good. He seemed to lose his way somewhat last season, but given a ten month break he bounced back with a solid third this February in a race that wouldn't have suited at Musselburgh over three miles. He was a 20/1 poke that day and fairly friendless in the market, indicating there was still a bit to work on and he'd come on for the run, and come on he did next time out when upsetting the odds again at 22/1 at Uttoxeter and denying the patently well treated but tricky Joyeux Machin.. 

That is smart form and probably the best in this race, so although he has to contend with top weight it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience. Benson is another old boy I'd not discount at this track where he has won before as he seems to come alive this time of year, while The Four Sixes is an obvious threat if given an easy lead off the front end as he is improving for Olly Murphy. Red Risk rates the most likely winner though and odds of 5/1 are more than fair.