2:50 – Cockle Bay 9/1
A £28,000 purchase after winning an Irish point-to-point back in March 2017 (he had the useful duo of Theclockisticking and Flash The Steel behind him that day), Cockle Bay hasn’t had a great start to life under rules but there are reasons to expect a better performance today.
He made his rules debut 1,045 days after winning his point in a novice hurdle at Kelso over 2m. He was out the back and never really involved; it was a similar story on his next two starts, with connections keen to get 3 runs over hurdles into him before racing was halted due to Covid.
He made his seasonal reappearance over fences at Hexham, again over 2 miles. In rear throughout, he jumped well but was outpaced against some decent 2 milers, but he plugged on under a modest ride without being disgraced. Weak in the market that day, Lucinda’s other runner was very well backed indicating that this was very much a pipe opener for Cockle Bay.
Dropped 5lb for that, he finally gets the step up in trip he clearly needs; by Milan out of a mare that placed in points whom is a sister to the useful pointer, Beet De Bob, this 3m test at Ayr is sure to be a more suitable than 2m on quick ground around Hexham.
Stephen Mulqueen takes the ride in this conditional jockeys event; he and Lucinda Russell combine for a 15% S/R in handicap chases and it’s been a profitable duo to follow since the restart. Since July 1st, they’ve had 8 winners from 38 runners for a 21% S/R, including a couple of winners at Hexham on the 25th, with Lucinda Russell saddling a treble.
This isn’t a strong race and I think we’ll finally see Cockle Bay in a race that will suit him. He seems versatile in terms of ground and he retains potential as a staying handicap chaser.
overandclear.com 