A decent day’s racing is in prospect on Monday, August 7th – with fingers crossed that some of the recently-experienced heavy rain stays away. Or abates a bit at least.

For the nap I’m going up north, to the southwest coast of Scotland, and Ayr. I visited many moons ago for the Scottish Grand National, and it’s a lovely part of the world. Flat action on Monday, and my fancy runs in the lucky last at 5.20pm.

5.20 Ayr – Rory The Cat @ 2/1

The selection is trained by Lucinda Russell, far better known for her National Hunt inmates, and ridden by Oisin Orr, making such a name for himself predominantly with Richard Fahey.

‘Rory’ is a fairly modest gelding in an ordinary contest, but has struck a wee bit of form with a vengeance of late and might still be improving. It’s at this trip of ten furlongs that his last three excellent performances have occurred – he won at Beverley last time and prior to that was narrowly pipped here, both off a mark of 56.

He’s up to 59 today, but it’s worth pointing out that he began life in handicaps off 67, so after disappointing perhaps just a shade for previous trainer Keith Dalgleish he’s finding his feet again now with Linda, where he’s been since early June.

Ayr Poet is another penalised winner, always a danger for Mulrennan and Goldie, while Ice Shadow is up 5 spots for a win last time, too. A fascinating little contest but I feel that Rory The Cat is on an upward curve right now and can score again for his National-winning trainer and ultra-promising young jockey, a former champion apprentice over in Ireland.