Ayr Saturday

1.15 Ladbrokes Handicap 1m

The ground is likely to ride dead at Ayr on Saturday with rain forecast to fall on the day now looking to arrive long after racing starts. Khafiz is hard to weigh up in the opener, but his trainer rarely considers his geese to be swans, so the fact that he was thrown into a Group 3 at Deauville last time is probably significant and, although only finishing seventh there, he wasn’t beaten far and was doing his best work late to produce a career-best effort on the figures.

Khafiz won his first two starts of the season in novice company and, while the handicapper hasn’t been lenient, he has scope for further improvement in the conditions, and his trainer’s record at this meeting is excellent. Roger Varian doesn’t run a host of horses at the Western Meeting, but of the 22 he’s sent out in the last decade, six have won and 13 in total have rewarded each-way support. That makes any of his runners here worthy of note, especially unexposed sorts like Khafiz, who is taken to find the requisite progress to make a winning debut in this sphere.

1.50 Ladbrokes Doonside Cup Stakes (Listed) 1m 2f

Almeric is the one to beat here, but it’s worth giving a mention to Tuscan Hills, who starts off for Kevin Philippart de Foy on the back of a couple of underwhelming runs for Raphael Freire this season. Unplaced in the Dante at York on his return, he could never land a meaningful blow in the Derby, but won at this level on his second start of an unbeaten juvenile season and isn’t one to write off given the promise of that listed win at Pontefract, where he slammed the useful Calla Lagoon.

Tuscan Hills was scoring on heavy ground at Pontefract, but made a winning debut on fast turf at Thirsk to show that ground conditions are immaterial to him and, if his new trainer has coaxed him back to form, he could prove a thorn in the side of the favourite, who looked a fine prospect when winning the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April, but has been absent since.

2.25 Ladbrokes Ayr Silver Cup Handicap 6f

Katie Scott has been patient with the talented Gweedore since he was sidelined by injury for almost all of 2024. He returned early this year, but showed little on his first two starts back, only to return to form with placed efforts in consecutive weeks at Musselburgh in April to show that all his old ability is intact.

Gweedore rarely races over six furlongs, but is a speedy sort who plays catch-me-if-you-can over further and, on a rare try at this trip, he ran a stormer to be beaten three parts of a length by Significantly in the Ayr Gold Cup two years ago, backing that up with another fine third in a six-furlong heritage handicap at York a month later.

Both those efforts came from a mark of 100, but his injury-enforced absence saw the handicapper take pity and drop him 10lb for his first two runs this year. His revival at Musselburgh in April has seen him raised a couple of pounds but he still looks well treated on balance, particularly assuming he’s been laid out for this rather than anything more sinister. He’s got a favourable low draw and others in the lowest stalls who can help with pace-setting duties and, while there is always a risk with horses who have a history of injury, Gweedore looks worth chancing given his excellent record in Scotland where 27 runs at Ayr/Musselburgh have yielded 10 wins and a further 10 places.

3.00 Ladbrokes Firth Of Clyde (Group 3, Fillies) 6f

Argentine Tango has the best form on offer in the Firth of Clyde and can have excuses made for her last two starts, firstly setting too strong a pace in the Lowther Stakes at York and then running into traffic which cost her any chance in the Flying Childers a week ago. She could easily bounce back, but I would prefer to watch her in the preliminaries, as she has a habit of getting on her toes and, after a very busy season, could find this a race too far.

Just in front of Argentine Tango in the Lowther was Dandana, who also sat close to the strong pace and fared best of those to do so in finishing fourth to Royal Fixation. She is also worth marking up for that effort given the three in front of her at the line were all held up in a race that favoured such tactics.

The worry with Dandana is the ground, and I would not want conditions to become testing, as that is unlikely to suit the speedy daughter of Blue Point, who was withdrawn from the Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury recently on account of very soft ground. The Crisfords won’t hesitate to pull her out again should conditions dictate, so if they let her take her chance, I can’t complain, and the forecast causes me to be optimistic.

3.35 Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 6f

Once again, I find myself hoping that the going is no worse than the soft side of good with softer ground an unknown for my fancy, Jubilee Walk. James Ferguson’s four-year-old has a very appealing profile on good ground, and his sire Study Of Man gets plenty of winners on deep ground, but the gelding’s only run on softer than good was when a promising fourth in maiden company at Nottingham. On the plus side, he was withdrawn due to unsuitable going on good-to-firm ground at Newmarket in July, and he may prove even better on yielding ground.

Those concerns aside, Jubilee Walk looks a sprinter to keep on side, with two excellent second-place finishes in big-field handicaps of late. At York in July, he was beaten a neck by Elmonjed, who has since won the Listed Garrowby Stakes over the same track and trip and he also ran with great credit when a length second to the progressive Brosay, with the others two lengths and more adrift, at Ascot.

In between times, he was unlucky to stumble leaving the stalls at York, and he’s officially ahead of his mark in this early-closing handicap. He has the speed to take up an advantageous position from a draw in stall 14, and the fact that he has speedy sorts in Flash Harry and Kodi Lion immediately on his outside should help give him a tow into the contest.

Newbury Saturday

1.30 Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (Group 3) 5f 34yd

Rage Of Bamby has run really well the last twice, failing to stay seven furlongs in the Hungerford here (form working out extremely well) and then running the race of her life in the Sprint Cup at Haydock. She ought to be suited by this slight drop in trip given her blinding early speed and is taken to go very close, despite having the highest draw.

2.05 Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap 1m 5f 61yd

Majestic Warrior couldn’t justify my selection in the Ebor but weakened only late after making the running at York and should be fitter for that run, his first since winning at Thirsk in April. He’s not taken much racing in his career, but has shown himself a useful performer granted limited opportunities and may yet progress to pattern company.

3.15 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2) 6f

It’s good to see Jim Boyle with a promising youngster and I can’t help but feel that the exciting Into The Skywould be odds-on for this had he come from a more high-profile stable. After all, he was somehow allowed to start at 80/1 when running away with a Newbury maiden last month. Since then, he has been purchased privately by Michael Tabor for wife Doreen (as a 50th wedding anniversary present) and will race in her familiar black and white colours for the first time. He looks a gift at the prices.

Recommended

Khafiz 1.15 Ayr 1pt win @ 9/2 (general)

Gweedore 2.25 Ayr 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (SkyBet, Paddy Power - 6 places)

Dandana 3.00 Ayr 1pt win @ 15/2 (general)

Jubilee Walk 3.35 Ayr 1pt e/w @ 18/1 (Bet365 – 6 places; 16/1 Paddy Power, Betfred)

Rage Of Bamby 1.30 Newbury 1pt win @ 6/1 (general)

Into The Sky 3.15 Newbury 2pts win @ 5/2 (general)