18+ | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
Header
Text here
Header
Text here

Formscan  - Imperial Merlin is a C&D winner who showed improvement after a wind operation to score at Haydock and has to be respected off just 4lb higher. However, HISTRIONIC beat a subsequent winner to shed his maiden tag at Chepstow last month and Paul Nicholls' promising six-year-old is likely to have plenty of improvement in him. This is only his fourth start over hurdles and he is fancied to make a successful handicap bow. Ace Of Spades is another to keep an eye on.

1
5231
Imperial Merlin (IRE) 8,b g 12-0

Kalanisi (IRE)-Silver Charmer(Charmer)

(23) cd1 (Mr J N Blackburn)
Rated 125

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Imperial Merlin (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Icare Allen (FR)1
11th Nov 2023 Aintree(3m 149yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft-Heavy in places on Chase course; National: Heavy-Soft in places) Icare Allen (FR) 3rd (10/3J Fav 12-0 Rated 142) Jonjo O'Neill Jr 14.00L in front of Imperial Merlin (IRE) 5th (10/3J Fav 10-13 Rated 127) Henry Brooke (11 ran)
sp
2
2114
Head to Head

In the last 3 years Ace Of Spades (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Gaillimh A Stor (IRE)1
1st Mar 2025 Kelso(2m 4f 189yds, Hcap Hurdle, Good to Soft) Ace Of Spades (FR) 4th (5/2Fav 11-7 Rated 123) Harry Skelton 13.50L in front of Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 8th (25/1 11-6 Rated 122) Bruce Lynn (10 ran)
sp
3
1729
Icare Allen (FR) 7,b g 11-13

Cokoriko (FR)-Coeur D'allen(Network)

ts+(48) (Mr John McManus)
Rated 124

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Icare Allen (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Imperial Merlin (IRE)1
11th Nov 2023 Aintree(3m 149yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft-Heavy in places on Chase course; National: Heavy-Soft in places) Icare Allen (FR) 3rd (10/3J Fav 12-0 Rated 142) Jonjo O'Neill Jr 14.00L in front of Imperial Merlin (IRE) 5th (10/3J Fav 10-13 Rated 127) Henry Brooke (11 ran)
sp
6
22P8
Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 9,b g 11-9

Presenting (GB)-Gaillimh A Chroi(Flemensfirth)

ts7cp1(41) c1 d1 (Turcan Black Elles & McLntosh)
Rated 120

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Theme Tune (IRE)1
2nd Jan 2025 Ayr(3m 70yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft) Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 2nd (13/2 11-1 Rated 116) Danny McMenamin 32.03L in front of Theme Tune (IRE) 9th (66/1 11-2 Rated 117) Bruce Lynn (10 ran)
sp
Ace Of Spades (FR)1
1st Mar 2025 Kelso(2m 4f 189yds, Hcap Hurdle, Good to Soft) Ace Of Spades (FR) 4th (5/2Fav 11-7 Rated 123) Harry Skelton 13.50L in front of Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 8th (25/1 11-6 Rated 122) Bruce Lynn (10 ran)
sp
Chasingouttheblues (IRE)1
21st Jan 2025 Ayr(3m 70yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft) Chasingouttheblues (IRE) 1st (9/2 11-9 Rated 114) Jamie Hamilton .25L in front of Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 2nd (3/1Fav 12-0 Rated 119) Bruce Lynn (9 ran)
sp
7
1130
Head to Head

In the last 3 years Chasingouttheblues (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Gaillimh A Stor (IRE)1
21st Jan 2025 Ayr(3m 70yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft) Chasingouttheblues (IRE) 1st (9/2 11-9 Rated 114) Jamie Hamilton .25L in front of Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 2nd (3/1Fav 12-0 Rated 119) Bruce Lynn (9 ran)
sp
8
F223
I Am Max (IRE) 7,ch g 11-7

Vendangeur (IRE)-Betty Scott(Midnight Legend)

(20) c1 (Mr M Scott)
Rated 118

9
P4-6
Pounding Poet (IRE) 9,b g 11-6

Yeats (IRE)-Pestal And Mortar(Tamayaz)

ts4cp4(58) (Hft Limted And P J King And Son)
Rated 117 Won When Rated 131-127

10
51P3
De Kingpin (IRE) 6,gr g 11-5

Kingston Hill (GB)-Jolivia(Dernier Empereur)

cp1(28) (Elizabeth And Oliver Troup)
Rated 116

11
3347
Park Annonciade (FR) 7,b g 11-3

Masked Marvel (GB)-Yellow Ball(Ballingarry)

ts+(14) c1 (The Friday Lunch Club)
Rated 114 Won When Rated 114

12
1524
Belvedere Blast (IRE) 7,ch g 11-2

Buratino (IRE)-Zelie Martin(Invincible Spirit)

bl+(38) (Swanland Partnership)
Rated 113 Won When Rated 113-113

13
6-95
Theme Tune (IRE) 10,b g 11-1

Fame And Glory (GB)-Supreme Melody(Supreme Leader)

cp+(56) d2 (Katie And Brian Castle)
Rated 112 Won When Rated 118

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Theme Tune (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Gaillimh A Stor (IRE)1
2nd Jan 2025 Ayr(3m 70yds, Hcap Hurdle, Soft) Gaillimh A Stor (IRE) 2nd (13/2 11-1 Rated 116) Danny McMenamin 32.03L in front of Theme Tune (IRE) 9th (66/1 11-2 Rated 117) Bruce Lynn (10 ran)
sp

First Time - In a Hdl Handicap Histrionic. Cheekpiece Gaillimh A Stor, De Kingpin» Full list of First Time Gear

Probable SP 7/2 Ace Of Spades, 4/1 Histrionic, 11/2 I Am Max, 15/2 Imperial Merlin, 10/1 De Kingpin, Chasingouttheblues, 14/1 Billy Boi Blue, Kintail, 16/1 Gaillimh A Stor, Icare Allen, 20/1 Belvedere Blast, Park Annonciade, 33/1 Pounding Poet, Theme Tune.

Previous Years
2024 Catch Him Derry 6 10-10 Harry Skelton 5/6Fav (Dan Skelton)
2023 Off To A Flyer 6 11-3 Brendan Powell 9/2Fav (Joe Tizzard)
2022 Stringtoyourbow 5 10-4 Jack Tudor 3/1Fav (Christian Williams)
2021 I'd Better Go Now 8 11-9 Harry Skelton 11/2JFav (Dan Skelton)

Symbols Explained

WS Wind Surgery ts2 Tongue Strap vs2 Visor hd2 Hood es2 Eye Shield ec2 Eye Cover cp2 Cheekpiece bl2 Blinkers tt2 Tongue Tie bo2 Blinkers one cowl e2 Ear Plugs p2 Pacifier pc2 Pacifier with cowls ps2 Pacifier one cowl sr2 Shadow Roll co2 Cheekpiece one side sb2 Sheepskin Browband cc2 Cornell Collar xb2 Crossed Nose Band cd2 Course and Distance Winner c2 Course Winner d2 Distance Winner bf Beaten Favourite on Last Run

The superscript number on headgear bl2 indicates number of times worn. A plus bl+ indicates more than 10 times where as red background bl1indicates first time.

Trainer/Jockey In Form last 21 days

Trainer/Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
D Skelton/Harry Skelton
13
32
40

B Pauling/Ben Jones
3
11
27

Nicky Henderson/N de Boinville
2
12
16

Tom Lacey/Stan Sheppard
1
4
25

Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden
1
12
8

For Trainer/Jockeys in this race

Trainers In Form last 21 days

Trainer
Wins
Runs
%
D Skelton
14
40
35

Paul Nicholls
7
33
21

Nicky Henderson
7
28
25

B Pauling
6
25
24

N W Alexander
4
38
10

Mr M T Walford
4
24
16

A M Thomson
3
11
27

Graeme P Mcpherson
2
15
13

J J Quinn
2
19
10

Tom Lacey
1
6
16

Adrian Paul Keatley
1
15
6

Jonjo O'Neill
1
19
5

For Trainers in this race

Jockeys In Form last 21 days

Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
Harry Skelton
13
32
40

Ben Jones
5
19
26

Danny McMenamin
4
32
12

Harry Cobden
2
42
4

J J Slevin
2
21
9

N de Boinville
2
13
15

Stan Sheppard
2
9
22

Callum Pritchard
2
9
22

Ryan Mania
2
15
13

Jamie Hamilton
1
13
7

For Jockeys in this race

NH Trainer Stats for Ayr

Trainer
Wins
Runs
%
N W Alexander
95
690
14

S R B Crawford
53
367
14

A M Thomson
32
248
13

Paul Nicholls
27
133
20

Nicky Henderson
16
109
15

Mr M T Walford
11
56
20

Tom Lacey
8
38
21

D Skelton
7
24
29

Graeme P Mcpherson
5
19
26

J J Quinn
4
16
25

Adrian Paul Keatley
4
19
21

Jonjo O'Neill
3
41
7

B Pauling
2
17
12

For Trainers in this race

NH Trainer Stats for Ayr

Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
Craig Nichol
43
361
12

Danny McMenamin
35
247
14

Bruce Lynn
28
192
15

Ryan Mania
26
247
11

Harry Skelton
26
109
24

C O'Farrell
22
210
10

Jamie Hamilton
15
163
9

J J Slevin
10
61
16

Harry Cobden
10
58
17

Kielan Woods
8
20
40

Stan Sheppard
4
17
24

N de Boinville
3
40
8

Callum Pritchard
1
9
11

Ben Jones
1
11
9

For Jockeys in this race

Course Form for Ayr

Horse
Wins
Runs
Imperial Merlin (IRE)
1
1
Histrionic (IRE)
0
1
Gaillimh A Stor (IRE)
1
7
Chasingouttheblues (IRE)
1
1
I Am Max (IRE)
1
1
Park Annonciade (FR)
1
6
Theme Tune (IRE)
0
1