How To Bet £20 at Ayr and Newbury on Saturday

The 38 runners trained by title-chasers Mullins, Nicholls and Skelton will be the focus of attention at Ayr on Saturday but it’s a couple of runners trained by Alan King who make most appeal for punting purposes. 

Favour And Fortune is a general 6/1 for the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle and that looks too big after his solid sixth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month. 

He was beaten under ten lengths despite not looking entirely happy at the track (for the second time in his career) and you can’t quibble with the form as Slade Steel, Mystical Power and Firefox filled the first three places. 

That was the third Grade One race that Favour And Fortune has contested, indicating the regard that King holds in him, and given he lost more lengths than any other horse in the line-up in the jumping department, according to the RaceiQ data, there is every reason to believe he is capable of better yet. 

He now has his sights lowered, dropping to handicap company for the first time, and a mark of 138 may well underestimate him. I’m pretty sure Ayr will suit him better than Cheltenham and testing ground is no problem for him. 

L’Eau Du Sud is the obvious danger after his near-misses in the Betfair Hurdle and then County Hurdle, although he has gone up an aggregate of 9lb for those efforts and, predictably, has not been missed in the betting. 

The King-trained Masaccio, chalked up at 13/2 by Betfred and 6/1 by SkyBet (who go four places), also makes plenty of appeal in the Let Good Times Roll With Stagecoach Novices' Handicap Hurdle (4.10). 

This seven-year-old has been lightly raced since finishing runner-up in a bumper at this meeting three years ago but looks to have also got in lightly – off a mark of 129 - for what will also be his first start in a handicap. 

He’s won novice hurdles at Chepstow and Kempton this season but it’s his two runs in between, when getting beaten, that point to him being on a favourable mark. 

On the first occasion, Masaccio looked a tad unlucky when beaten a nose by Jingko Blue at Newbury in November, when trying to concede 6lb. The winner bolted up off a mark of 124 on his handicap bow at Sandown next time and is now rated 140, while the third home, Emailandy, has a mark of 134. 

On his next start, he was not disgraced when fifth to Captain Teague (beaten under ten lengths) in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle. The third home that day, The Jukebox Man, has himself since gone close in two top-level contests. 

Welcome To Cartries is favourite but a line through Beat The Beat, who mastered him at Ascot in November after a defeat behind Masaccio at Chepstow, suggests the bookmakers have got their sums wrong. The step up to 3m may also show him in a better light.

My other bet on the card will be Inis Oirr, in the Coral Scottish Grand National. I made a case for and that price is still available. 

At Newbury, I’ll be having a small play in the traditional Classic trials. 

The Dubai Duty Free Stakes has attracted only six runners and there must still be a big doubt about Royal Relief, who was among last season’s top sprinting juveniles, getting the 7f trip on the likely gluey ground. 

And I’d also be nervous about backing the likely favourite, Regal Jubilee, as it seems the John & Thady Gosden runners were all shaping as if they’d improve for a run at the Craven Meeting. All 11 of their runners at the meeting were beaten – six at single-figure odds. 

In the circumstances, I’m happy to take a chance on the Roger Varian-trained Elmalka, who performed wonders to win on his debut at Southwell in late November after being green and out the back in a steadily-run race 

That was probably no ordinary maiden for the track, either, with runners fielded by Gosden and William Haggas filling the places. 

This will clearly be a different kettle of fish for Elmalka but the daughter of Kingman is a half-sister to the top-class Benbatl and it goes without saying that she is open to any amount of improvement. 

Finally, Ballymount Boy looks underestimated in the early betting, at 15/2, for the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes. 

His efforts last season included beating all bar Vandeek in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, with his only blip being when being too fizzy in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp in October. He put that behind him when signing off with a Listed success at Doncaster. 

He’s got the same official rating as Zoum Zoum, who is no bigger than 11/8 to retain his unbeaten record. 

2.05 Newbury: Elmalka £1.50 win at a general 6/1 

2.25 Ayr: Favour And Fortune £2.50 each-way at 11/2 with SkyBet (five places) 

2.40 Newbury: Ballymount Boy £1.50 win at 15/2 with William Hill 

3.35 Inis Oirr £2 win and £2 each-way at 16/1 with Ladbrokes (five places) 

4.10: Masaccio £2 win and £2 each-way at 6/1 with SkyBet (four places) 

(play - if possible - with SkyBet who are offering most places)

2.25 Ayr: Favour And Fortune (5 places)

3.35 Inis Oirr (7 places)

4.10: Masaccio (4 places)

2.05 Newbury: Elmalka  (2 places)

2.40 Newbury: Ballymount Boy (4 places)