Ayr forced to abandon again due to sodden home straight

● Tomorrow’s card hinges on noon check

Ayr Racecourse was hit by a further blow when today’s card was abandoned last night, even before a scheduled 8am inspection could take place.

The track was still unraceable owing to an area of waterlogged ground in the home straight.

The decision came after yesterday’s racing was also called off for the same reason. Course officials will now be desperately hoping tomorrow’s card, featuring the Ayr Gold Cup, will get the go ahead.

Despite a dry day yesterday, track officials, along with the British Horseracing Authority course inspector noted there had been very little improvement in the waterlogged area.

That left them with no option but to cancel today’s card and tomorrow’s racing now hinges on an inspection which has been scheduled for noon today. Meanwhile, Dream Of Dreams can secure his second victory in the space of a week in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Cup at Newbury today.

This Listed event looks challenging, to say the least, but it is interesting Sir Michael Stoute sends this four-year-old into battle just six days after hitting the target at Lingfield.

He absolutely dotted up in a seven-furlong conditions stakes last Saturday, having previously made a rather subdued start under Stoute’s tutelage.

The former Kevin Ryan inmate is clearly in a happy place this autumn and now has that crucial momentum behind him.

It is also good to see Ryan Moore involved for the first time.

Dance The Dream is fully expected to take top honours in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap.

Marcus Tregoning’s filly has been off the track since May, but that should not be too much of an inconvenience in this valuable mile-and-a-half encounter.

After all, the daughter of Sir Percy, whom her trainer knows rather well, already has some nice form in the book and looked especially good on her sole start of the season at Goodwood.

Dance The Dream is a powerful, rangy sort and did not appear in love with the capricious West Sussex circuit as it took her a while to get going. Once she did find her rhythm, jockey Martin Dwyer must have been quite impressed as she stayed on for third place behind Ajman Princess, who has since won a Group One race.

Tregoning’s inmate had looked progressive during a three-year-old campaign which saw her win at Leicester and Chepstow and should be much happier running at Newbury than at Goodwood.

And with the drying ground also a sizeable boon, she could prove a great deal better than an elevated mark of 98 might suggest.

Bon Scotte is the pick in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes.

He made a fine debut when beating Kitaabaat at Goodwood last month, showing an admirable battling attitude to fend off a more experienced rival in the finish.

The runner-up gave the form a boost when winning at Sandown in midweek and Bon Scotte could be a smart type.