TONY CALVIN: DETAILS for Ayr and Newbury for Saturday – including double entries on all nine ITV races

MONDAY noon

I’m away from  Monday evening, so they’ll almost certainly be no weekend column.

Just the 205 confirmations for the Ayr Gold Cup so far (I am not doing double entries on those ffs – it’s a manual process) but a mere nine for Newbury’s Mill Reef  (Arapaho Gold, Adaay Of Scarlett, Cut A Dash, Matteo, MrMacartney, Nabati, Revels, Social Symbol and Jolivette).

The Mill Reef

The Mill Reef is run in honour of Ian Balding this year and it is set to be run on decent ground.

No Aidan O’Brien entries in the 175k Group 2  – he had four in the race yesterday – and it is fair to say it lacks a bit of stardust, with the nine entries rated between 90 and 110 (the 110-rated Arapaho Gold carries a 3lb penalty).

Andrew Balding has the 103-rated Jolivette in the race.

Jolivette is also in the Firth Of Clyde at Ayr on Saturday but that hasn’t stopped him being put in at 5/2 tops for Newbury, behind the evens favourite Arapaho Gold.  Nabati, third in the Flying Scotsman at Doncaster last Friday, is 3s, with 10s+ bar.

All firms are unsurprisingly 1/4 the odds 1,2.

The Ayr Gold Cup

Three horses are currently priced up in single figures; Binhareer at 6s, Sunday Curragh winner Coul Angel (he runs under a 5lb penalty but he will be going up a lot more than that after the 2 3/4 length weekend success) and Thunder Call, 4lb well-in under a 5lb penalty for his Ascot win (he needs four to come out to get a run).

If you are betting then be sure to back a horse proven in soft/heavy (see latest forecast below).

(VERY) BRIEF SUNDAY SCENE SETTER

I am off to Cornwall at the crack of dawn on Tuesday for a few days – I always think of Rik Mayall and The Young Ones when I write that phrase (“Hi Dawn”) – but I’ll do the ante-post double entries at a minimum before I leave.

If the forecast below is anywhere approaching correct , then Ayr Gold Cup day will be taking place on soft/heavy ground.

Binhareer is the general 6s favourite for the big sprint handicap (8s in a place).

His best form has come on a decent surface but he has a win on officially soft ground, and Tom Marquand reckons he is best with a bit of dig; he is set to get a lot of dig on Saturday, though.

The forecast is much better for Newbury for Mill Reef day, and there are currently 37 in that 2yo Group 2.

As you’d expect, there is no ante-post betting on that race.

COURSE DETAILS (updated Thursday morning)

AYR 

GOING: Good to soft, soft in places

GOING STICK : 7.4, Thu 7.25am

Rails: All Rails On Inner Lines

Stalls: 6f, 5f, 5f 110yds Centre 7f Outside Remainder Inside

THURSDAY COURSE UPDATE:  Partly Cloudy.2mm past 24hrs Thur: Rain Beginning Around Midday Fri: Chance Of Showers Sat: Chance Of Showers

Weather (7.17am Thursday):  3.2mm Thursday;  5.2mm Friday; 3.3mm Saturday

NEWBURY

GOING :  Good, good to firm in places

GOING STICK :  5.8, Thu 6.15am

Stalls: 1m2f & 1m5f – inside. Remainder (straight) – centre.

THURSDAY COURSE UPDATE:  Might get 1mm this morning. Approx. 1mm rain Sunday. 1.4mm of rain Thursday 10th. 10.8mm of rain Tuesday 8th. Forecast: Dry tomorrow & breezy 18C.

Weather (7.19am Thursday):  light showers if anything throughout rest of week (showers around on Thursday morning)

DOUBLE ENTRIES (pay particular attention to those in bold – does not include confirmed Friday runners)

1.02pm Newbury: Aramram, Beautiful Diamond, Luna A Inbhir Nis, Miss Yechnance

1.20pm Ayr: Capall Rosa, Financer (due to run on Thursday), Gentle George, McMurray, Monaceros, Naepoint, Naval Light, New Vega, Son, U Sure Do

NB: Salam Dubawi, Spoken Truth, St Anton are in early-closers on Sep 26

1.37pm Newbury: In The Breeze, Paddy The Squire, Tiernan (due to run on Thursday)

1.55pm Ayr: Della Pace (due to run on Wednesday), Grey Cuban, Paddy The Squire

NB: Treble Tee is in early closer on Sep 26

2.12pm Newbury: Jolivette

NB: Nabati is in Middle Park next week

2.30pm Ayr (Ayr Silver Cup – 180 entries): …….

2.47pm Newbury: Almakerem, Capall Rosa, Grey Cuban, Lucky Camino, McMurray, Paddy The Squire, River Card, Savvy Disco (due to run on Wednesday), Tiernan (due to run on Thursday)

NB: Mr Swivell and Spanish Voice are in early closers on Sep 26

3.05pm Ayr: Alta Regina, Crystal Queen, Guadalevin (finished 4th of 8 on Monday), Havana Lightning, Jolivette, Nour, Shimmering Sun, Spirit of Lyra (due to run on Thursday), Wateera, Wild Blossom

NB: Dark Issue is in an early closer on Sep 26; Ruby Moon on Sep 25; Silent Beauty on Sep 26;

3.40pm Ayr (205 entries – I’ll do the first 25 (maximum field of 25): Aramram, Zoum Zoum, Far Above Dream, Coul Angel

NB: Spycatcher and Bodhi Bear are in early closers on Sep 27