UK Racing Preview - Thursday 2 January

Achnamara ended 2024 in fine form and can get the new year up and running in style for Phil Kirby in the Ayrshire Cancer Support Masquerade Ball Handicap Hurdle at Ayr on Thursday.

The six-year-old ran out a decisive 18-length winner at Sedgefield on Boxing Day and also performed well at the north east track earlier in the season.

He now travels north of the border under a 7lb penalty but that should prove no obstacle if arriving on Scotland’s west coast in the same destructive form as seven days ago.

In the Midburn Construction Ltd Novices’ Handicap Chase, it may prove wise to side with Nick Alexander’s Hombre De Guerra, who made a pleasing introduction to jumping fences when beaten only five lengths by the highly touted Caldwell Potter at Carlisle.

Although no match for Paul Nicholls’ expensive purchase, the seven-year-old moved stylishly through the contest to finish best of the opposition and could have plenty more to offer in this sphere taking on a few exposed rivals here.

It would not be a meeting at Ayr without Nicky Richards featuring and he could claim the opening Ayr Racecourse Racing Club Only £30 Maiden Hurdle with Young Getaway, who has shaped nicely over two miles and could relish the extra half mile.

It could also be an excellent afternoon for County Antrim handler Stuart Crawford, who is no stranger to raiding missions to Ayr and brings a strong battalion across the water with him.

Crawford saddles Gold Cup Bailly in the Karaoke At The Golf Inn Prestwick Handicap Chase, who has not been seen for 241 days but has always been well regarded and brings smart course form to the table.

A winner of two of his five starts at Ayr, he has also finished second at the venue twice, with his sole blip coming when having his stamina stretched in last year’s Scottish Grand National.

The handicapper is beginning to relent and although others may have a fitness edge, he finds himself back in a race he won two years ago off only a 2lb higher rating.

Another talented member of Crawford’s string to have had his momentum checked is O’Toole, who returns from 698 days off the track in the concluding Golf Inn Prestwick Handicap Hurdle.

Fitness is again a concern but this is a horse that once finished second to Kilcruit in a Grade One bumper and had reached a figure in the late 130s over fences before his enforced spell on the sidelines.

The nine-year-old reverts to hurdles for his long-awaited reappearance off a rating of 127 and could prove well treated if retaining plenty of his old zest for the game.

The star of the show at Huntingdon could be Fergal O’Brien’s Sixmilebridge in the Annual Badges On Sale Now Novices’ Hurdle.

Deemed good enough to run in the Champion Bumper last term, he opened his hurdling account at the second attempt with a 14-length romp at Leicester in early December.

He seemed to relish moving up in distance on that occasion and looks the pick of the three hurdles winners in the field.

O’Brien can double up in the concluding Purchase Hospitality At Huntingdon In 2025 National Hunt Flat Race with John Barbour, who was third here on debut in May before taking a step forward to win in taking fashion at Uttoxeter in November.

On the all-weather at Newcastle, Come On John has been hammering on the door and could continue James Owen’s fine run in both codes by taking the Gamble Responsibly At BetUK Handicap, while plenty of eyes will be on First Ambition in the Win £1M With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Maiden Stakes.

The four-year-old is the first progeny of Laurens to make the racecourse and the colt is fittingly trained by Karl Burke, who guided his Group One-winning mother to Classic glory in the Prix de Diane.

Racing tips for Thursday

AYR: 12.10 Young Getaway, 12.40 Famous Liss, 1.10 Hombre De Guerra, 1.40 ACHNAMARA (NAP), 2.15 Gold Cup Bailly, 2.50 Hashtag Boum, 3.25 O’Toole.

HUNTINGDON: 12.25 Vanderpoel, 12.55 Extraordinary Man, 1.25 Envious Editor, 2.00 Sixmilebridge, 2.35 Hystery Bere, 3.10 Near Dark, 3.40 John Barbour.

NEWCASTLE: 1.52 Come On John, 2.27 Busby, 3.02 Noble Consort, 3.32 Jimmy Knocker, 4.05 First Ambition, 4.40 Finn Ironside, 5.10 Sanat, 5.40 Inexplicable, 6.10 Yaahobby.

DOUBLE: Achnamara and Sixmilebridge