Rory Delargy has the Punting Pointers for Friday and he has two selections running at Ayr.
Racing betting tips: Friday April 11
1pt e.w Pounding Poet in the 2.40 Ayr at 22/1 (Bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4) – min 20/1
1pt win Leader In The Park in the 3.15 Ayr at 11/2 (General) – min 11/2
2:40 Ayr – Class 3 (0-125) Handicap Hurdle 3m 70y
It’s been a rather mixed season for Tom Lacey, with the horses not firing through the winter the way they had in previous seasons, but things are looking up of late, and I’d take plenty of encouragement from the improvement Cruz Control showed when winning a valuable Aintree handicap on Saturday compared to his previous lacklustre effort in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby at Christmas.
Another who needs to bounce back is POUNDING POET, who ran a career best when second at Aintree two years ago off a mark of 133 and is very lightly raced since. He started the next season rated 135 but lost his confidence over fences and has dropped sharply in the weights after several excusable runs back over hurdles. His latest outing was his first in a year and he looked understandably rusty while showing more than he had last term. He’s sure to be better for the run and will appreciate stepping back up to 3m on a sound surface, which seem his ideal conditions. It requires a small leap of faith to back him. but he is potentially thrown in off 117 and early quotes of 33/1 are surely far too generous.
3:15 Ayr – Class 2 (0-135) Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110y
LEADER IN THE PARK is a horse I liked a lot last year, as did his trainer, and he’s made a bright start over fences while giving the impression he’s a fair bit better than the form of wins at Kempton and Warwick would suggest. He made all at Kempton on Boxing Day and followed up in similar style at Warwick despite being all out to hold the late challenge of Classic Anthem having got into a battle with Southoftheborder from a long way out.
Leader In The Park also ran well in defeat at Kelso on his latest start, again failing to finish as well as he promised, but that was on softish ground over an extended 2m 5f and he gives the impression he will prove best when speed is at more of a premium, as it should be here, with the ground likely to ride good or quicker given the drying conditions. The slight drop in trip is also a positive given how well he’s travelled this term, and Ayr should suit him perfectly.
4:25 Ayr – Class 2 (0-150) Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f 91y
An impressive winner of the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree a couple of year ago, Florida Dreams hasn’t quite delivered on that abundant promise over hurdles, but he continually suggests that he needs good ground and a trip beyond 2m to be at his best, and he rarely gets a chance to shine in tactical races over shorter. He ran just respectably when tried over 2½m earlier this season, but that came on soft ground when the stable was quiet, and he typically did his best work late when a creditable fifth of 18 to Cracking Rhapsody in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last time.
The ground looks to have come in favour of Florida Dreams here and he’s worth chancing on his first attempt beyond 2½m from what is beginning to look a lenient mark.
Published at 0925 BST on 11/04/25
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