Martin Dixon's Saturday selections: Stormy forecast

The final day of Ayr's Gold Cup meeting takes centre stage on Racing TV on Saturday afternoon and I'm hoping Obelix can get the afternoon off to a bright start in the one-mile handicap that kicks things off. 

Rated 96 at his peak, it's taken him time to come to himself this season but that's right in line with Julie Camacho's stable form in general - the yard sent out 12 winners in total up to the end of July compared to 13 winners since August 1 - and I was impressed with Obelix's commanding win at Haydock last time when he travelled strongly and quickened well. A 4lb rise for that still leaves him well treated, he should get a good slot just in behind a strong pace from stall five and if things open up for him I expect him to go close again.

An even more competitive handicap is the Silver Cup but Rock Opera is well worth backing each-way in this. I've mentioned before on this column how important it is to consider pace maps in sprint races in particular and with Paws For Thought (1), Bergerac (2) and Rhythm of Hooves (5) all in low numbers I'm hoping that might be the right part of the track to be on. 

Rock Opera finished down the field in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon last time but I don't think that's a track that plays to his strengths and his previous two efforts at York and Windsor were both eye-catching, finishing well from poor positions. I think he's still an improving sprinter who'll be well suited by this stiff track and a strong pace. 

Stormy Impact goes into the Group 3 Firth of Clyde Stakes looking for a first career win but she's bumped into smart prospects on each of her starts so far, doing very little wrong, and I'd rate her form right up their with the best of these fillies. 

I'd expect the likes of Grand Marques, Town And Country and possibly Li Ban to give her something to aim at and it will suit her perfectly if she can just be delivered a bit later than in a small field at Haydock last time when she probably hit the front a bit too soon only to be collared in the final strides. She's another I'll be looking to back each-way. 

Nobody needs me say how important the draw is in sprints at Chester but Lihou is in the right place from stall two here and I think he has plenty going for him other than just that handy draw. 

A winner on his penultimate start, he was then caught far too wide in a tough race at Southwell last time so can have that excused. He remains much lower in the weights than for most of his career wins and if the significant rain that's forecast does arrive at the track then it will only enhance his chance because he's very effective in the mud.