Story to deliver in Doonside heat
Keith Dalgleish is normally a good man to follow at Ayr's Western Meeting which kicks off tomorrow and he can take the opening day feature, the William Hill Doonside Cup Stakes, with What's The Story.
The five-year-old has found plenty of improvement this season and while he has reserved his best for York to date, winning valuable handicaps at both the Dante and Ebor meetings, there is no reason he can not repeat that closer to home.
Fourth in the Royal Hunt Cup last season, he looked like he had maybe reached a peak after disappointing in the Cambridgeshire
But Dalgleish has worked his magic and he has improved a further 12lb this summer. He looks well worth a crack at Listed level and while he meets a couple of his rivals on unfavourable terms, what is in his favour is that he arrives on the back of a career-best effort and he is the only one who can boast that.
Roger Varian's Monsieur Noir looked marginally unlucky last time out and can atone for that in the Cala Homes Handicap.
An odds-on winner of his penultimate outing at Salisbury, he was running off a mark of 84 at Newmarket and met trouble in running before staying on into fourth.
The step back up to seven furlongs looks logical on that showing and he should go close.
Eynhallow has suggested there are still races to be won with him in his two runs to date this season.
A really progressive type for Roger Charlton at three, he was bought by Godolphin to go to Dubai.
He ran well twice there before having just the one run at Royal Ascot last summer, and he was then not seen again until August when fourth at Newmarket.
In a competitive race at York last time out he was sixth of 16, but this represents a pretty big drop in class for the Dan Hague - Betting On The Rails Handicap at Yarmouth and he's stepping up in trip.
John Gosden has reached for first-time blinkers for Harrovian in the Youngs Cityscape Handicap
He has worn cheekpieces and a visor the last twice, so Gosden obviously feels there is still a bit more in his locker. Tavus began life handicapping off a very lowly mark, but even off a 10lb higher perch, he can bring up a hattrick in the totepool Cashback Club At totesport.com Handicap at Chelmsford.
Irish raider Dragons Call can make the journey to Pontefract worthwhile in the Elkington Stud Supports Racing To School EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap.
John James Feane's charge won at Limerick in early July and while the handicapper dropped her 2lb for finishing