Dave Nevison: four top tips for the big Saturday handicaps at Ayr and Newbury

Maclaine has taken well to fences this season and has improved with experience. 

He won very easily at Newbury last time and an 8lb rise may not be enough to stop him going in again, given some of his earlier form has also worked out well. 

I fancy he could still be very well weighted and he is open to further progress. 

He is still lightly raced for an eight-year-old and, having coped very well with Newbury’s stiff fences last time, I am confident he will jump around Ayr OK against some seasoned handicappers. 

Dan Skelton might well hit the front in the Trainers’ Championship if he lands the Scottish Champion Hurdle and L’Eau Du Sud deserves to win a big one such as this. 

The six-year-old ran an excellent second to Iberico Lord in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury - collared only close home - and the same thing happened to him in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, where he led after the last until the final few yards. 

He has gone up only 3lb for that latest effort, which looks very reasonable, and is clearly suited by big-field handicaps.

Harry Eustace has his string in good form and has an interesting outsider in this always competitive event. 

Bill Silvers ran four times last term (twice in the spring, twice in the autumn), losing his maiden tag in a decent size field at Doncaster (big galloping track, very similar to Newbury) and coming back after five months off to run two very promising races over 10 furlongs. 

He has only raced with give in the ground and the four-year-old is dropping back to a mile, which I think may suit. 

High numbers are generally favoured on this track, so Bill Silvers looks to have fared well on that score and has plenty going for him. He has been well backed on occasions, so I will be watching for late support at each-way prices.

Derek Fox will certainly be hoping he gets a bit further in the Scottish National than he did at Aintree last weekend when he and Corach Rambler exited at the first fence. 

Inis Oirr bolted up last time in the Edinburgh version, going clear in the home straight to win by 21 lengths. The handicapper has raised him 14lb but that might not be enough to stop this rapidly improving seven-year-old. 

The change of headgear to a visor, and being ridden from the front, certainly had a positive effect on him last time. 

It will be some feat to make all the running in a race such as the Scottish Grand National but it has been done before. 

Inis Oirr has an attractive weight, just 10st 3lb, and will be suited by the prevailing soft ground. He has a big chance of keeping the prize at home.