Horse racing tips: three for Ayr from Ross Millar

We’re a hard bunch to please, aren’t we? 

And I’m not talking about England football fans, though I could be – three semi-finals in the last four tournaments should have you jumping for joy (believe me I’m Welsh!) 

Instead I’m referencing the rather muted response to becoming the first horse since Golden Horn in 2015 to follow a Derby victory with success in the Coral-Eclipse. Is such a response justified? 

My initial feeling was one of disappointment; I’d expected a performance akin to his demolition job in the Superlative Stakes last year and from some way out on Saturday it was obvious that wasn’t going to be the case. 

But having watched it a few times since I think he actually emerges with real credit. He was very keen in the early stages with positioned in an unusual ‘brace’ position for the first three furlongs, and the colt certainly lost momentum and rhythm when floundering on the ground for a stride or two on the bend into the home straight. When listening to Moore’s post-race interviews it’s clear he felt this was the factor that most limited the performance. 

City Of Troy had to work hard to close the distance on pacemaker and then drifted rather alarmingly to his right when getting to the front. This was a hindrance on multiple levels, firstly of course by ending up covering more ground, secondly because he was lacking true balance and thirdly Moore will have been unable to fully drive him forward. 

I certainly don’t believe he’s quite as straightforward as his connections make him out to be, and on the face of it beating and by a lengths and two lengths is far from the form expected of a champion. But maybe what separates champions from the rest is an ability to get the job done even when you’re not at your best? England football fans will certainly hope so! 

This Julie Camacho-trained son of Invincible Spirit has finished second on his last two starts, firstly when bumping into an exceptionally well-handicapped over this trip on soft ground at Redcar and then when bumping into a bang in-form last time and again over the same trip, though on quicker ground at .

While connections will have been frustrated not to have been able to add to his tally of two career wins, they have at least been spared the added frustration of having Winter Crown raised in the handicap. 

On each of his last two starts Winter Crown has started slowly before finishing strongly, and the presence of and should insure this is run at a good gallop. That will suit, particularly if he’s able to start more effectively.

knows Winter Crown well, has won on him before and can steer him to a deserved third career win. 

It’s probably fair to say that Charlie Johnston has yet to fully hit top gear this season, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time - especially with Glorious Goodwood, a meeting that the yard always target, just around the corner. 

Volcanology was entitled to need her seasonal return last month and after a 236-day lay-off she shaped better than the bare result when finishing fifth of eight over this trip at . She raced with real zest at the head of the field and was just about the last off the bridle heading to the two-furlong pole, but her early exertions and lack of race fitness on ground softer than ideal took their toll and she weakened quickly under sympathetic handling from Franny Norton.

She’s bound to step forward for that return and, as an added bonus, she has been dropped llb to a mark of 67. This sounder surface will also be more to her liking with her sole career win coming on good to firm ground at . 

 She can go well at a decent price for the consistently impressive .

Earlier this season it looked as though Father Time might finally have caught up with Jim Goldie’s lovable veteran after he turned in a sequence of poor results, but he showed much more life over course and distance last time when coming from last to fourth up the home straight and I’m sure such a strong finishing effort will have done him plenty of good.

The race last time was a Class 2 handicap and this ease in grade to the Class 3 bracket will make life easier, too. 

Jockey Amy Waugh is yet to win on him but does at least know him well and her 5lb claim means Sir Chauvelin will carry a featherweight. 

The 12-year-old is at least twice the age of his four rivals, but while they arrive here needing to prove that they can cope with rising handicap marks he does arrive off a rapidly falling mark and with a recent good run under his belt. 

Remarkably, he only has one course win to his name - and that came nearly nine years ago – but I’m hopeful all these years later he can gain the 17th win of what has been a very fine career.