4:05 Ayr Tips

Has already shown some quite useful form over hurdles. His latest effort, 2nd of 14 over 20f at Uttoxeter, was better than it might appear, as he got hampered late on, which might have cost him a win. Racing off a slightly higher mark here and over a slightly longer trip, he has to be a serious contender.

Just three runs this campaign for the 7yo, after coming off a seven-month break: two narrow defeats and a win early last month. He won very easily in that last race. There could be more to come from him, and he’ll be one of the fresher runners in this handicap. Strong jockey in the saddle.

Eagles Reprieve is an unexposed horse making its handicap debut. It has been progressive this season and should be nicely suited to these conditions.

Sanilam has won 4 of his 8 starts, including 3 of his last 4. He wore a hood in his last two wins and defied an 8 lb higher mark at Musselburgh last month. He is up another 5 lb but steps up a further 2 furlongs in distance. He looks like a good each-way bet with four places on offer.

Captain Butler has been mainly disappointing this season, but he has more about him than he's shown. After abandoning chasing, he ran better at Kelso last time. He may have dropped to a winnable mark and could land a minor surprise in this competitive heat.

Spectacular Sunrise looks an interesting contender at double-figure odds, now stepping up in distance for the first time. He shaped like a novice on the up when winning at Bangor and Kelso earlier in the season and was then pitched into more competitive races, where he ran creditably without quite progressing further. Backed into favoritism when last seen in the Morebattle, he underperformed, but several runners from that race have gone on to run well since, so he may still have more to offer. Sam Twiston-Davies is back on board for his father Nigel’s only runner at Ayr today, and the softer ground over this longer trip could bring improvement.

The Four Sixes made all to win this last year off a 137 and while the latest runs this year have been pants he has been on a falling mark and I still think he could go well back here off a132 with Sean Bowen EW 4P

At 25/1, he stands out as a strong each-way candidate, bolstered by his prior success over this C&D. Under the expert guidance of the Russell and Scudamore team, and with Patrick Wadge riding, this 9-year-old is adept at navigating these conditions, making him a serious contender.