Inexes can pay for Ayr expenses

INEXES can follow up a recent course and distance win in the Western House Hotel Handicap at Ayr.

Marjorie Fife’s six-year-old grey carries a 6lb penalty for his convincing success last week.

But he has conditions to suit as the rain continues to fall around The Whitletts, having proved long before last Tuesday’s three-quarters-of-a-length victory over favourite Shortbackandsides that a soft surface is very much to his liking.

It was good-to-soft last week, and a forecast of soft, heavy in places this time will be no bar to a sixth career success for Inexes.

Others may struggle to reproduce their best form in the circumstances - a comment which stands throughout the card, of course.

In the opening Book Christmas Parties At Ayr Racecourse Novice Stakes, newcomer Pendleton may be worth supporting on ground he is bred to handle.

His first-season sire Garswood certainly did not mind a little cut, and trainer Michael Dods continues in fine form.

By the time the last is run, the one mile and five furlongs of the Racecourse Christmas Tribute Nights Handicap is going to take some getting.

Assured stamina is top of the agenda therefore, and it may be sensible to side with Foresee - sent up from Worcestershire by Tony Carroll on the back of a decent third under a big weight on similar ground at Ffos Las last month.

Down at Chelmsford, the Bet totetrifecta At totesport.com Conditions Stakes carries a decent prize - and the lightly-raced Big Challenge is an intriguing contender.

The Godolphin four-year-old has managed just two runs so far, but on his most recent - almost 18 months ago - was a one-length second to Monarchs Glen.

That rival has since improved to Listed class, and was a Royal Ascot winner this summer.

It is likely Big Challenge was flattered to finish so close on his allweather debut. But he is pitched into decent company again here on his belated return, and Saeed bin Suroor may have him ready.