Tony McFadden of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Three points of interest
Hectic schedule for Hollie Doyle
Hollie Doyle was riding at Deauville on Sunday and will be at Lingfield on Tuesday so it was a surprise to see that she's heading to Ayr for three rides on Monday.
Doyle, who primarily rides for Lambourn-based Archie Watson, is understandably a relatively infrequent visitor to Ayr but she's had 12 winners from her 47 rides at the track at an impressive strike rate of 25.5%.
She had two winners and a third from three rides on her last trip to Ayr a couple of weeks ago and two of her mounts on Monday, Duty First (14:25) and Aspire To Glory (15:35), look to hold solid claims.
Duty First, who is trained by Watson, cost 370,000 guineas as a yearling and shaped as if she'd be sharper for the experience when fourth on debut at Newmarket last month, while Aspire To Glory, who is trained by Alice Haynes in Newmarket, has a class edge over his rivals dropping into classified company and is 6 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted figures.
It's also worth noting that Watson and Haynes both have good records when sending horses on the long journey to Ayr. Watson has had 15 winners from 51 Flat runners at a strike rate in excess of 29%, while Haynes has had five winners from 15 runners at a strike rate of 33.3%.
Ayr Poet chasing hat-trick
Ayr Poet has won the last two editions of the concluding mile-and-a-quarter handicap (18:15) at Ayr and he's trying to bag the prize for the third year in a row.
He hasn't won since he landed a mile handicap at the track last September to take his tally at Ayr to five, but he took a big step back in the right direction when third at Carlisle last week, doing well to get as close as he did after ending up further back than ideal in a steadily-run race.
He's been ridden by inexperienced jockeys on his last three starts so it could be significant that Paul Mulrennan, who has been aboard for four of his last five wins at Ayr, is back in the saddle.
Beckett newcomers worth noting
Ralph Beckett had only two juveniles win on debut from 26 runners before the start of August. However, since the turn of the month Beckett's two-year-old newcomers have been in scintillating form and he's had four winners from his seven representatives, including a couple of exciting sorts in Pride of Arras and Tabiti.
Beckett's juveniles have clearly clicked into gear and the two-year-olds he introduces at Kempton on Monday, Brize Norton (15:55) and Amiloc (16:30), are entitled to plenty of respect given the yard's recent record.
Both newcomers are related to horses that Beckett has enjoyed success with as Brize Norton is out of a half-sister to Biggles who won the Bunbury Cup last season, while Amiloc is a half-brother to Brimham Rocks who was a prolific winner in handicaps before going on finish placed in a Group 1 in Australia for Chris Waller.
Tip of the Day
Ayr Poet - 18:15 Ayr
Flags: Horse In Focus, Horses For Courses, Hot Trainer, Sectional Flag
Ayr Poet is still searching for a first win this season but he's fallen in the weights and took a step back in the right direction when third at Carlisle last week. Ayr Poet, who was ridden by an inexperienced jockey, ended up further back than ideal in a steadily-run race, but he kept on promisingly into third, leaving the impression that he's in good enough form to take advantage of a mark that's 4 lb lower than the one he defied at this track last September. He's won five times at Ayr, including the last two editions of this race, and it could be significant that Jim Goldie has turned to Paul Mulrennan who has been aboard for four of the horse's five wins at this venue.
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