Thursday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets at Ayr

There are several owners and trainers who really focus on the Western Meeting at Ayr and the Easterbys will definitely have a couple laid out for it. The red and yellow colours of the Reality Partnership will be very well represented all weekend for sure.

Vince L’Amour ran second in this corresponding race last season and is off the exact same mark this afternoon. The 5yo is hardly the most consistent performer but he is very capable on his day  and has won and run some good races this season. When the 5yo runs badly he runs very badly but I am happy to take a chance that he will be on his game this afternoon with the ground and draw in his favour.

Have Secret isn’t the most consistent, but the signs were good last time out and he could go well at an each-way price here.

The Richard and Peter Fahey-trained gelding came from the back of the field (he often starts slowly). He won a similar class 2 handicap at Pontefract back in May and after his form took a dip in midsummer he is back on the same mark this afternoon.

A decent pace is pretty much guaranteed this afternoon and provided Have Secret doesn’t lose too much ground at the start he could stay on into a place at least. 

Northwest Passage definitely looked to be getting ready for a return to the Flat on his recent start over hurdles.

He went past the post beaten more than 30 lengths, but finished with running left and could definitely have been closer in my view. He has run one good race since he joined Ivan Furado and had a wind operation, and this looks to be the first time he will get the soft ground he excels on.

He won a handicap at Salisbury by 15 lengths on soft ground for his previous yard and even though he is a stone higher in the weights I feel he can still run well in a race such as this.