Saturday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets for Ayr and Newmarket

I am sticking with this one after he was narrowly beaten at a price when I put him up last time out.

This may be a slightly more competitive race, but if he is on his way back to his best, he could well be up to hitting the frame at least.

He has run okay off higher marks on the Rowley mile in the past and has regularly shown he can handle very soft ground, so conditions are no problem.

He will be one of the pacesetters here which is always a plus over this course and his trainer has had four winners from his past 20 runners, so is enjoying a good autumn.

I backed this one on his first run for Michael Scudamore last season and never had a moments worry as he jumped well to win easily by 22 lengths.

A 9lb rise for that run could be deemed lenient and I fully expect him to follow up here. His trainer is in good form and he has booked excellent 3lb-claimer Richard Patrick to ease the burden slightly, though Caltex is still only on a mark he has run well off in the past.

I certainly don’t believe Scudamore has come up to Scotland just to visit his dad, and Caltex could be one to follow this autumn.

You won’t go far wrong backing Paul Nicholls-trained runners blind when he sends them to Scotland and although the trainer may be focused on Ascot on Saturday afternoon, I expect at least one of his two runners at Ayr to score.

Highland hunter could probably have won further than half a length last time at Musselburgh had he been sent after the leader earlier and, as a result of the narrow victory, might start this season well handicapped.

Lorcan Williams takes off 3lb and the trip and ground present no issue.

Aspiration is a lightly-raced and improving filly who looks to have got in her first handicap off an attractive mark, so I expect her to be a warm order here.

She returned from a three-months break to win a modest maiden in impressive style at Yarmouth last time.

She was backed down to favourite for that 6f contest in heavy ground and won by four and a half lengths.

The Martin Meade-trained filly had previously showed she gets this trip in a decent maiden and with Tom Marquand back on board, I expect her to win the finale here.