Dave Nevison: my three best bets for Ayr on Friday

25 runners have been declared for the the Virgin Bet Bronze Cup Handicap, which is testament to the draw and popularity of this meeting. However, it doesn’t make it any easier to find the winner!

Trainer Iain Jardine won’t be too unhappy about how he has fared with the draw for his runners and hopefully I have picked the right one here. 

Parisiac is very handily drawn in stall two and I fancy the five-year-old might well be able to hold on to at least a place on the far rail. 

He won over 5f here in August and then went to Musselburgh where he finished a close-up fifth behind Eternal Sunshine. He is now 5lb better off with that runner who carries a penalty (and is drawn in the middle).

Jardine has had winners over fences and on the flat this week and I am sure his team will be in top shape for this race. 

Parisiac didn't run too well on Thursday, but if he does run again on Friday, he's worth having a small each-way on.

It is tough to work out the Jim Goldie and Tim Easterby runners in these Ayr handicaps but Mount King looks a fair prospect at a decent price in this mile contest. 

Tim Easterby may have the key to this with Jewel Maker but, at the prices, I make Mount King decent value.

After looking like he was about to hit form recently, he has run disappointing at Ripon twice but he certainly wouldn’t be the first horse from this yard to come back to life at this meeting.

He is down to a mark lower than he last won off and he looks well drawn close to the pace. The mile trip will be ideal, too.

Again, it is a guess as to which one from the stable in this is worth siding with but, looking at the jockey bookings, it seems pretty clear Paul Mulrennan is a significant engagement for this finale. 

Annandale has been ridden by an ensemble of claimers for his past few runs, but it is surely significant Mulrennan now takes over. 

Annandale is way lower in the handicap than his latest win, which came at this meeting three years ago, so it would be a big surprise if this fixture hasn’t been targeted for some time.