What did Ayr teach us about how Cheltenham horses may run at Aintree?

This year Aintree's Grand National meeting starts just 20 days after the Cheltenham Festival ended, leaving one overwhelming question: how well will horses handle the quick turnaround?

Ten horses who ran at the festival were in action on Saturday with seven running at Ayr and three at Newbury. So what did we learn with Aintree in mind? Here we rank the performances in terms of just how much they boost the confidence in a strong showing from the Cheltenham runners at Aintree.

1.50 Ayr:Finishing position: WON

Dusart, who finished fifth in the Brown Advisory – beaten 14 and a half lengths, was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the CPMS Novices' Champion Handicap Chase at Ayr and won a shade cosily, getting headed after the last but battling back.

It is not only a boost to the form of L'Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor, who finished first and second at Cheltenham and could run in the Betway Mildmay Novices' Chase on the Friday, but it suggests the slower pace they went in the Brown Advisory (compared to other races on the day it was more than 10 seconds slower on Racing Post standard times than all bar the Cross Country) may mean the race has not left a mark.

Dusart: fought back valiantly to win at Ayr on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The caveat comes in the fact Dusart was one of the first off the bridle that day, slipping out of contention and then staying on, whereas L'Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor were involved in the heat of the battle all the way to the line.

Conclusion: A very strong boost, particularly for those that ran in a sensibly-paced Brown Advisory.

2.25 Ayr: Second

West Cork was sent off the 5-2 favourite and ran an absolute blinder to finish second in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle, just getting touched off by Irish raider Anna Bunina who was in receipt of 12lb.

West Cork went one better than Dusart at Cheltenham, finishing fourth in the County Hurdle just five and a quarter lengths behind State Man. The winner is likely to be seen next at Punchestown, but Nicky Henderson's First Street – who gave 1lb and a four-length beating to West Cork – has an entry in the Grade 1 Betway Top Novices' Hurdle.

West Cork (far side): was just touched off by Anna Bunina in the Scottish Champion HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

As does Lorna Fowler's Colonel Mustard who was the other horse to finish in front of West Cork, beating him two and a quarter lengths in receipt of 1lb. The other horse with the option of stepping into Grade 1 company from the County Hurdle is Imperial Cup winner Surprise Package, who showed a quick turnaround was not a problem for him when finishing sixth at Cheltenham.

Conclusion: A strong boost generally, albeit the majority of horses who finished around him are stepping into hotter company.

2.45 Newbury: Nina The Terrier, Tweed Skirt and Second, fourth and ninth

Probably the least informative race with Aintree in mind for two reasons, the first being none of the trio got within 20 lengths of the Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner Love Envoi at Cheltenham. The second is almost all of the principles from Cheltenham do not have an entry at Aintree with the entries for the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse on April 17 featuring the first, third, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth.

That said, you could argue it was yet another boost for those looking to back those coming from the Festival next week. Nina The Terrier was sent off the 9-4 favourite and was just touched off, while Tweed Skirt filled fourth at 7-1 (was fourth in the betting). The Player Queen was ninth of 11, some 36 and a half lengths adrift, but was sent off the 33-1 rank outsider so all three ran pretty much to market expectations.

Conclusion: The form has very little direct link to Aintree but has to be a positive generally that all three ran up to market expectations.

3.00 Ayr: Il Ridoto and Third and pulled-up

Il Ridoto finished eighth in the Grand Annual, beaten 31 lengths, while Kiltealy Briggs was pulled-up in the Ultima and after a few bad jumps he suffered the same fate here.

Il Ridoto (blue cap): was well beaten behind Do Your JobCredit: Grossick Racing

Il Ridoto was sent off at 7-1 and ran well for a long way, turning in upsidesthe eventual winner under Bryony Frost and while you could argue the way he faded out of contention could be put down to Cheltenham leaving its mark – both the horses in front of him were sent off at shorter prices so expected to be there and it could just have easily been the extra four and a half furlongs of the Grade 2 Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices' Chase that caused him to fade late?

Conclusion: Inconclusive. Il Ridoto finished where the market said he should and the step up in trip is just as viable for him fading close home as Cheltenham taking it out of him.

3.35 Ayr: Fantastikas and Pulled-up and pulled-up

Neither Fantastikas, who was seventh beaten 13 lengths in the Ultima, or Vintage Clouds, who was pulled-up in the same race, managed to finish a testing Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase in which just nine finished.

Aged 12, and sent off at 50-1, Vintage Clouds was not expected to be a factor, but Fantastikas was a 11-1 shot so definitely disappointed. Given it looked as if he didn't stay in the Ultima the step up to four miles was always going to be a question mark but equally neither

Conclusion: Has to be a negative. The market expected Fantastikas to run well and he did not. Whether that had anything to do with Cheltenham is harder to establish but he didn't enhance confidence.

5.15 Ayr: Fourth

Hard to argue it was a performance that did much to boost the form of the Champion Bumper, given Call Me Harry was sent off at 125-1 and was pulled-up, but in terms horses who ran at Cheltenham running up to form despite the quick turnaround it was slightly underwhelming.

Call Me Harry was the morning favourite for Ayr's closing bumper but drifted before the off, losing his spot at the head of the market to eventual 11-4 winner Autumn Return, but he could finish no better than a one-paced fourth.

Conclusion: Not disastrous by any means, but equally under-delivered on market expectations and you could say he ran a little flat.

More from Saturday's action:

'That was extraordinary' - dream Scottish National 1-2 for Christian Williams

Ballysax Stakes: 1.01 drama: Piz Badile enhances Derby claims with last-gasp win over Buckaroo

Who were the eyecatchers on a big day of clues at Leopardstown?

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