Shades of Midnight runs at Ayr tomorrow

Staying hurdler Shades of Midnight will run at Ayr tomorrow in the 2m 4f Class 3 handicap hurdle, where he tops the weights at 11st 12lb.
It's a drop in class for the powerful gelding, having tackled some stiff tasks this season, but having run well on a couple of occasions without quite being able to challenge the principals.

Of the opposition, the obvious challenge comes from Malcolm Jefferson's Ryedale Racer, a dual novice hurdle winner this season who may be still on the upgrade.
But it is a couple of darker-than-a-coal-cellar-at midnight sorts who catch the eye.
Useful chaser Fago is more known for tackling graded chases for Paul Nicholls but was sold for £20k in August, and hasn't run over hurdles for 6 years. His chase rating is OR140, and he gets in to this event on a mark of 128. This can only be a guess by the handicapper, as there is no line of form that would calculate 128 as a mark. Maybe one for 'Ask the Handicapper', as this is one Irish trained runner who could be thrown in.
The other one from left field is also Irish trained, although by the number of runners the Crawford Bros. have in Scotland, you could be forgiven in thinking they were South of Scotland based. Gilt Shadow's last 3 hurdle races have been -
a Class 2 handicap (2nd btn ½l),
a Grade 2 at Leopardsdown (3rd beaten 4l),
the Grade 1 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.
Oh, and in between he was clear at the last when falling in a Beginners Chase at Navan. Off for the best part of 2 years, he runs off a rating of OR132......

So, not quite a Monday afternoon, run-of-the-mill handicap hurdle and a very interesting contest and a stern test for our fellow.

Having stated all that, the heavy going will suit Shady, and although he is better over further, he is a course and distance winner. The form of his last race when 4th at Uttoxeter is working out very well, with both the 3rd and 5th winning since, even a pulled up horse won next time, and the winner Le Rocher was runner up in today's National Spirit at Fontwell.

Good luck to the Potassium Partnership, have a nice lunch, rest well and enjoy the race!!

 
Shades of Midnight (Pinky)