Sobar thoughts for Ayr backers

Cold Sobar made a perfectly respectable return from a long absence and can show the benefit of that in the Try Racing TV For Free Now Handicap Chase at Ayr on Tuesday.

Trained by Stuart Coltherd, the lightly-raced eight-year-old won two of his three outings over hurdles in the spring of 2023 but did not run again until the Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow that October.

He was far from disgraced in finishing fourth to Captain Teague but he obviously had a setback as he never ran again last season.

Making his return from a 429-day absence, he made his chasing debut at Carlisle in December and not surprisingly for a point-to-point winner his jumping was assured before he just tired late on.

That was over 3200m and while he has won over 4000m before and was entered in a race on this card over that distance, the 3200m option looks much more winnable.

Whenever Stuart Crawford sends anything over from Northern Ireland it is worth a second look and his Ayiko will take some beating in the racingtv.com/freetrial Maiden Hurdle.

He finished second between two Willie Mullins novices at Fairyhouse, with Inn At The Park winning and Fishery Lane third. That form is head and shoulders above anything else on offer.

Ruby Island ran a promising race on her first outing since leaving Mark Walford for Nicky Richards.

A decent hurdler, she ran in the mares' final at Newbury for Walford before being off the track for almost year.

Off for another almost 300 days, she finished a fine third at Doncaster, looking like the run would bring her on considerably ahead of the Watch RacingTV For Free For 31 Days Handicap Hurdle.

Graham looks an interesting recruit for Gary and Josh Moore in the Join Racing TV Today Maiden Hurdle at Leicester.

The five-year-old was with Richard Hannon on the Flat and left him with a rating of 79 for 40,000 guineas.

A strong stayer, he will need further than this sharp 3200m in the Join Racing TV Today Maiden Hurdle in time but this looks a good starting point.

Billy Loughnane has a few chances at Newcastle, including the George Boughey-trained Kranjcar in division two of the Weekly £5 Free Bet With BetUK Handicap.

Only lightly-raced with just four career starts as a four-year-old, there was promise to be taken from his reappearance third here earlier this month, where he travelled really sweetly over 1400m before just levelling out close home.

On that evidence coming back to 1200m looks the right move and there is surely a race like this in him. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 3 UK meetings on Tuesday. Here are the tips.

AYR: Race 1: 15.00 Ayiko, Race 2: 15.30 My Kiwi Girl, Race 3: 16.00 COLD SOBAR (NAP), Race 4: 16.30 Shoeshine Boy, Race 5: 17.05 Hashtag Boum, Race 6: 17.40 Ruby Island, Race 7: 18.13 They're Chancers.

LEICESTER: Race 1: 15.20 Coco Brave, Race 2: 15.50 Graham, Race 3: 16.20 Kepler's Law, Race 4: 16.53 Camulus, Race 5: 17.25 Copper Cove, Race 6: 17.55 Westerninthepark.

NEWCASTLE: Race 1: 18.03 Phone Tag, Race 2: 18.40 Urban Dandy, Race 3: 19.15 Kranjcar, Race 4: 19.45 Miners Gamble, Race 5: 20.15 Inspired, Race 6: 20.45 Bantz, Race 7: 21.15 Brazilian Rose, Race 8: 21.45 Frankies Dream.

ALL TO COME: Cold Sobar (Ayr, Race 3) and Kranjcar (Newcastle, Race 3).