BACK-TO-FORM Francport (3.35) is entitled to serious consideration as the curtain rises on Ayr's star-studded three-day Western meeting.

Kevin Ryan's speedster has a tough task in the cavalry charge for the 27-runner Glenfairn House Handicap, but the way he ran at Kempton recently suggested his turn was close.

Francport's Kempton performance was fraught with difficulties from the outset as the gelding lost vital ground at the start in a similarly big field. Having conceded so many lengths leaving the gate, he did extremely well to finish sixth, having hit top gear with less than a furlong to travel.

Neither should we ignore the fact that the horse just behind the selection in seventh spot, Baby Barry, won an ultra-competitive sprint in cosy fashion at Goodwood yesterday, boosting Francport's prospects even further.

In the preceding Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes, Lord Merlin (3.05) is a clear-cut choice on the evidence of three cracking career runs to date.

Unfortunately the David Nicholls- trained youngster is a touch highly-strung and had to be withdrawn after getting upset in the starting stalls prior to Doncaster's Group Three Flying Childers Stakes at the weekend.

Provided he doesn't repeat those antics, which presumably should be helped by gaining permission to be loaded last, Lord Merlin does look like the class act in the £18,000 contest.

Nicholls could also be on the mark in the opening Apprentice's Handicap at Pontefract with Hormuz (2.20).

Any easing of conditions at the track will be of invaluable assistance to Hormuz, who acts on any surface, but like so many older horses prefers to get his toe in the turf.

Despite the five-year-old son of Hamas prevailing on two of his last three outings, he remains exceptionally well-handicapped, taking into account the far superior level of form he showed during his three-year-old days.

The one-mile Dewsbury Selling Handicap wouldn't be the most obvious race to have the mortgage on, however a small flutter on Branston Gem (3.20) is advised.

In an event where the majority of the line-up are thoroughly exposed, the lightly-raced three-year-old filly might just have been let in with a winning weight.

The following Phil Bull Trophy, over a trip in excess of two miles, appears to be tailor-made for the stamina-laden daughter of Lear Fan, John Gosden's Bylaw (4.20).

A clever piece of placing by her shrewd trainer means she gets all of the allowances going, and so meets the opposition on far better terms than would be normal if the race were a conventional handicap.

* Jockey Shane Kelly faces a lengthy ban today when he appears before the Jockey Club's disciplinary committee for his latest whip offence.

The matter was referred by the Haydock stewards following an inquiry on September 8 because Kelly had already been suspended for 16 days for misuse of the whip within the previous 12 months.

The incident involved the jockey's riding of Jumaireyah in the Stanley Racing Children In Need Rated Stakes.

Other inquiries to be dealt with today involve Mark Brisbourne and Gary Bardwell.