Nick Luck’s blog: Stay Alert for the winner of the Legacy Cup

Ayr, Saturday

DIRTYOLDTOWN looks to have a sound chance at 6/1 of getting ITV4 punters off to a winning start at Ayr on Saturday (1.20pm). He wasn’t really in top form in mid season, but a little ease in the ground produced a much better effort when splitting smart foes at Doncaster last time, and this looks no more challenging.

PHANTOM FLIGHT looks a strong favourite at 6/4 for the Doonside Cup (1.55pm). He’s low mileage and really took things to a new level when bolting up in the final race on Ebor day. He won on slow ground earlier in the season but won’t mind the ground drying up a bit.

DUSKY LORD is worth a try at 14/1 in the Silver Cup (2.30pm). On class, he wouldn’t be out of place in the big race, but a slightly patchy profile makes him a fair price here. That said, he’s well worth a try over a stiff six, he doesn’t want the ground too quick, and he actually ran really well in the Portland when he had no chance from his draw.

MARIA BRANWELL is a sporting each way choice at 10/1 against the favourite in the Firth of Clyde (3.05pm). A slightly more forgiving surface can enable her to find her impressive Sandown form from earlier in the season, which would be good enough to be placed at the very least, and she should have a nice pace to run at.

MR WAGYU might just do it again at 14/1 and enjoy his biggest day in the Ayr Gold Cup (3.40pm). It goes against the grain to think he can improve, but he continues in the form of his life and ought really to have won at The Curragh last weekend, only undone by the relative test in conditions. He ran superbly when third in this last year, is in better form than twelve months ago, gets conditions and isn’t badly drawn for his running style.

Newbury, Saturday 

STAY ALERT is a big price play at 11/1 in the Legacy Cup at Newbury (1.40pm). The front of the market is a bit suspect here, and Hughie Morrison’s filly looked most promising in two starts here in the spring. Her run in the Lancashire Oaks was just okay, but the ground got very testing, there was a notable pace bias, and it was a pretty smart race. David Egan is an interesting jockey switch and I fancy her to run well.

MITBAAHY might be another winner at 6/1 for Egan in the Sprint (2.15pm). He was a little unlucky in the Charge at Sandown, but for which he might have beaten Raasel. That form would be good enough here, and there are valid reasons for his defeat at Goodwood next time.

HEROISM is a viable alternative at 8/1 to the potentially smart but very short Sakheer in the Mill Reef (2.50pm). He looked really green and tardy on his debut but still won with a load in hand, and the form has taken a couple of notable boosts since.

HAMAKI is my idea of the winner at 13/2 in an admittedly furiously competitive ten furlong handicap (3.25pm). He only went up four for his win at Ascot, looked like he had plenty more to offer and his rider’s claim may be critical in a race of very fine margins.