BANK ON ROMANCE
Starform's top tips at Ayr this afternoon
)%*' Karl Burke’s yard is in good form and SHALLOW HAL (nb) should provide them with another winner. The son of Mayson, who will be ridden by Ben Curtis, who has had a high percentage of winners in recent weeks, has improved on all his three juvenile outings to date and his consistency should finally bear fruit on his handicap debut. He was beaten less than a length last time on Newcastle’s all-weather surface – and that was his best run to date. A reproduction should see him home here. Glorious Charmer, the mount of the promising David Egan, could be the one to give the selection most to think about about. *%', COSMIC LAW hasn’t won since taking the Woodcote at Epsom, but has been competing in Group Two company since that success. He has been far from disgraced and now that he is in calmer waters in this
Listed event and sports blinkers for the first time, he looks the one to be on. Junius Brutus ran a blinder when second in a Group Three at Kempton last time out, finishing less than three lengths behind John Gosden’s Kessaar, who proved too good for him in the closing stages. He had won three of his five races prior to Kempton and is sure to give it a
good shot for trainer Ralph Beckett and jockey Harry Bentley. *%*, INTENSE ROMANCE
(nap) won a heavy ground handicap at Haydock last time and that looks decent form in the context of this contest. Franny Norton was in the saddle at Haydock, where the combination had plenty to spare in the closing stages. Callum Rodriguez, left, takes over in the plate today. The ground will be absolutely no problem. There are dangers aplenty, but Miss Bar Beach, second in two Listed races on her last two runs, could be dangerous. +%('
GABRIAL THE DEVIL (treble) is the selection in a very open sprint. Richard Fahey’s runner, one of three he fields, is a model of consistency and will get every assistance from Paul Hanagan. Equitation is one of many threats and Roger Varian’s runner will not be far away. He looks very well handicapped off a mark of 83 and has run well enough on his last two outings to suggest he might be coming to the boil.