Couple of runners at Ayr, Tuesday

Nights In Venice makes his seasonal and handicap debut in the 12.35 at Ayr, a handicap hurdle over 2m 4½f where the advance going is soft (good to soft in places). Unlikely to get any softer though.

His best run over hurdles came on his final start last season when 5th in a fairly good class novice hurdle at Carlisle. That was over an extended 3 miles but he starts his season off here over ½ mile less. Handicap life begins on a mark of OR107............
Henry Brooke is in the saddle in the stables' colours.

Whistleinthedark has his first start for a trainer with a growing reputation for improving horses into her yard from other stables. He does look handicapped up to the best of his ability but Laura Morgan's runners can never seem to be easily discounted.
The 8-yr-old mare Charm Offensive is the oldest horse in the race but still has a progressive profile and it was only the fast finish of our own Eternally Yours that thwarted her by a neck over course and distance a few weeks ago.  She seems sure to put in another prominent display.

Rose's lightly-raced Gentleman de Mai will come on for his seasonal debut at Kelso at the start of the month, when 5th to Pavlik (the 4th horse has won since). He readily won his novice hurdle on debut with a solid Irish Point outing behind him and gets in here with a rating of OR103.
But the other lightly-raced gelding here is a bit of a standout in the handicap. McCain's Gold Emery had the experience of 3 Irish Point races prior to winning on Rules debut over 2 miles at Carlisle in February with a good yardstick in Ritson in second place. A mark of OR110 doesn't seem at all harsh and he could take a lot of beating.

Nights In Venice (Pinky)

Ann Marshall's 4-yr-old gelding Both Barrels makes his racecourse debut in the concluding race (3.10pm) on the card, a 2 mile NH Flat race for Conditional Jockeys & Amateurs where he will face 6 opponents.

Ewan's previous winner Kingston Bridge will head the market, even although it can be quite difficult to give 7lb away all round.
There's not much tangible previous form on view. The Crawford Bros. send over Largy Valley who is essentially flat-bred (dam a fair winner on the level), so may do better than when pulled up on his only outing in an Irish Point.
The best pedigree is probably held by Bluebell Glen whose dam was a Listed placed, fairly useful hurdler & also chaser and a half-sister to several winners over jumps (including bumpers), the best of which is the useful Clan Legend. So a family his trainer knows well.

After his fine ride on Maid Of Houxty last week, young 7lb claimer Lewis Dobb takes another ride for our yard. Good luck to all connections.

Both Barrels (Zoe)