Sounds Russian chasing hat-trick at Ayr this weekend

Progressive Ruth Jefferson-trained seven-year-old stepping up in class.

Sounds Russian will bid to extend a three-race winning streak when he steps up in grade at Ayr on Saturday.

The Ruth Jefferson-trained seven-year-old has claimed a trio of wins from four starts over fences, finishing fourth on his chasing debut before scoring a hat-trick of wide-margin successes in novice handicap company.

Those victories were claimed by a collective 48 lengths and have earnt the gelding the right to a tilt at a more significant challenge at the Scottish Grand National meeting at the weekend.

Sounds Russian is entered for the CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase, a three-mile class two affair worth GBP 26,000 to the winner.

“This will be by far his toughest assignment to date,” Jefferson said.

“I don’t think the form of some of these races is brilliant, but he’s beaten horses that have come out and won again.

“He’s not come across good horses like some of these will be.

“He’s an enthusiastic, sensible, happy type who is enjoying his racing and when they do that they make it look easy, especially at the level he was running at.”

The bay was stepped up in trip to three miles on his last outing and stayed on perfectly well, but his prior form also proved his speed and his versatility with regards to the going.

“I was in no rush to step him up to three miles because I thought he might enjoy it a bit too much, but that’s where his races took him,” Jefferson said.

“He’s not slow, he’s got a high cruising speed, he stays three miles well, in the future he might get further and though he’s seven, he’s been quite lightly raced.

“He finished second over two-mile-three (furlongs) twice round Southwell, which would be a sharp two-mile-three, on good ground in novice hurdles. So long as the ground isn’t firm I don’t think any ground would be a problem.”

Should his latest assignment end in victory Sounds Russian is likely to be wound down for the season, but a beaten run could see Jefferson find another race for him before the campaign’s end.

She said: “I had a little look and if he won again there wouldn’t be anything else for him, he’d have to have a holiday, if he didn’t then I suppose there’d be one or two options.”

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