2.45pm Ayr Tips & Betting Preview 14/08/2017

A shade under £2,600 on offer to the winner of this Class 6 handicap with a competitive looking field. Our expert tip and runner by runner preview for the contest is below.

IN SUMMARY: DARVIE ran his best race by far when flying home from a long way out of his ground at Redcar last time. He can build on that in a weaker contest now as one of the least exposed in the field. Pipe Dreamer is bred to be far better than one with his current basement mark. If the cheekpieces work as well the second time, he may well be the biggest threat. Harry Speed and Cheers Buddy are others who have a chance in the contest.

1 HARBOUR PATROL – Has returned from a long time in the wilderness this season to show something more like his old self. A pair of placed efforts at this track sandwich a win at Chepstow, the first time he has got his head in front since May 2015. There should still be room for further successes from this sort of mark, provided that he gets a strong pace to aim at.

2 HARRY SPEED – Nearly two years since his sole win, he is another who has shown more in recent runs than he has in a long time. Placed efforts in deeper fields than this would give him a solid chance of getting his second win, but he lost his action when running on Friday at Tipperary which is a slight concern about an otherwise interesting Irish raider.

3 MZURI – Tumbled more than a stone in the weights in the past 12 months, taking her career record to 0/28 in the process. There is enough in the placed efforts in her back catalogue to be respectful of her chance, but her canny yard are 0/15 at this track with raiders so she can be given no more than an each way squeak.

4 RIOJA DAY – Almost part of the furniture at this track now, with 27 of his 71 runs coming here. He has just the four wins from those 71 starts, with three of them coming over this course and distance. His best performances tend to come from the front, including when winning from this mark here in June. From stall 12 those tactics are going to be difficult to employ, so he is passed over.

5 DARVIE – Yet to win in seven starts but came closest last time out when rocketing home from an uncompromising position at Redcar. That was his first try at this trip in a race with considerably more depth than this contest. A two pound rise is fair for that run and, as one of three three-year-olds in the contest, he is open to more improvement so looks the one to be with.

6 JACK BLANE – Solid run on his debut for the yard when second over this course and distance at the end of July. He was fitted with cheekpieces for the first time there but was disappointing in them last time at Catterick. Perhaps the ground was too soft for him that day, if that is a legitimate excuse rather than the headgear not working a second time. He has a chance.

7 LET RIGHT BE DONE – Been kept busy since winning over this course and distance in mid-July. He regularly catches the eye in his races, as he did once more at Musselburgh on Friday. He flatters to deceive, however, often struggling to back up a solid run next time out. Has a squeak on the best of his form but he will have to come through the whole field given his habitually slow starts and so isn’t for the faint of heart.

8 RED SHADOW – A miserable 2/60 in her career and 0/30 on turf, she ran her best race for a long time over this course and distance last time out. That was a slightly deeper race than this and, if taken at face value, she would have an each way chance. It would be wrong to go overboard on that third though, given her overall record and is best left alone.

9 MODERN TUTOR – Hasn’t won since September but ran well over nine furlongs at Carlisle two runs back. He rarely shows smart form these days and usually when there is far more cut in the ground than he is going to get here. Just a single win from his last 37 starts tells the story; he is very tough to support even in a weak field.

10 CHEERS BUDDY – A close third from seven pounds higher over this course and distance last August, he has shown precious little in four of five runs since. It’s been more than two years since last he won, but the yard have had big priced winners here in the past so it would be no surprise if a return to this track saw him in a better light.

11 IRVINE LADY – Eight race maiden, she has shown worthwhile form just the once when runner-up over course and distance on her first run for the yard. Forcing tactics were used there and a wide draw makes those tactics difficult to execute again now, suggesting that she is in for a struggle.

12 PIPE DREAMER – Ran his best race by far last time in first time cheekpieces over this course and distance. A half-brother to four winners, including Tiddliwinks who was rated 112 in his pomp, he should be better than a basement rated horse. If he can build on that most recent outing he looks the principal threat to the selection.