Dave Nevison: My horse racing tips for Ayr on Thursday

I am heading up to Scotland for my favourite Flat meeting of the year up at Ayr. My ambition is to one day back the winner of the Bronze, Silver and Gold Cup; I managed to get places in them all last year so it doesn’t seem too much of stretch. Hopefully these three will get the ball rolling.

2.25 Ayr: Never Dark

He ran his best race of last season – when trained by Andrew Balding - in the Bronze Cup when beaten less than a length into fourth place and it is difficult to think he has not been trained to run well at this meeting now that he is trained up here by Iain Jardine.

Never Dark signalled his turn may be near with a return to form last time when beaten a short head at Doncaster, possibly benefitting from the headgear being applied for the first time for this yard. He is 2lbs lower than that last run and 8lbs lower than his latest win.

Never Dark is drawn low, which is usually an advantage over the five furlongs here, and he looks likely to be where the pace is. Danny Tudhope takes over from a claimer.

3.00 Ayr: First Impression

He is another off a favourable mark who is returning to a meeting he has done very well at previously. It looks like this is the target before he goes hurdling again this autumn.

First Impression won this nicely off a mark of 85 back in 2020 and, though he has not won on the Flat again since, he is an accomplished hurdler and has run plenty of very good races off higher marks than this on the level.

He reappeared at York after a short break recently and showed he was in good form with a good run into third and he is very likely to come on for that run. This is his time of year and jockey and trainer have both been in excellent form of late.

5.20 Ayr: Timbukone

I don’t always like betting a maiden in a handicap but I will make an exception with this three-year-olds after two really good recent seconds.

Timbukone has come up against an improver who has gone on to win next time out in both events and he has been kept on the same mark. He could easily have been marked up for his latest second to Bicep, so this represents a real chance of breaking his duck.

I expect trainer Keith Dalgleish will have at least a couple of winners at this meeting and Timbukone can hopefully notch on the first day.