Seven flat races take place at Ayr on Thursday, Oct 12th, between 14.10 – 17.40.

Promising apprentices rub shoulders with some of the north’s finest jocks in what’s sure to be an enjoyable and interesting afternoon. Very respectable field sizes, too.

15.20 – Darbucks @ 7/4

A 7f basement handicap in predicted heavy ground. No place for the faint of heart then.

Second in a similar contest to this here 9 days ago, I’m encouraged by the swift reappearance of Darbucks, and the 4-yr-old gelding certainly goes well on soft ground. His sire Profitable excelled on it, as when winning the King’s Stand at Ascot, and though few horses relish extremes of going he’ll handle the cut surely as well as most, and better than many.

Races off a mark of 56 on Thursday and won off 58 in June of last year. The excellent Connor Beasley is in the plate, and he’s gone mighty close to winning on the horse previously, over this very course-and-distance. Terrific shout for me.

16.30 – Obee Jo @ 10/1

Another who won’t mind the prevailing stamina-sapping conditions, this 7-yr-old Tim Easterby-inmate is a standing dish at Catterick but has run well here before, too. In good nick at present, Obee Jo was narrowly pipped at the north Yorkshire venue last time in a Class 6, and steps up a notch in grade here.

My thoughts regarding the elevation are that his ability to handle the ground, coupled with the fact that he’s in very decent order, outweighs any negatives. Nineteen days since that last highly-effective run, so again connections are taking a punt while the proverbial iron remains at least on the warm side.

Tim is deadly in contests such as these, especially around the northern tracks, and he’s enjoying a very successful campaign. Let’s hope this could be another bit of good news for the Great Habton handler.