If Tarporley-based trainer Michael Mullineaux had to name a favourite racecourse, there wouldn't be too many bookmakers willing to lay odds-against him nominating Ayr.
For Mullineaux notched one of the highest profile wins of his training career to date when his Lady Boxer got up in the final strides to deny Nineacres in the Ladbroke Silver Cup at the Scottish course last month.
And the handler can be on the score-sheet once more at the same course this afternoon with Tick Tock in the 20-runner Saffie Joseph & Sons Handicap over five furlongs.
Although without a win in 16 attempts, the daughter of Timeless Times has shown enough ability to suggest that a race of this nature is well within her compass and, more importantly, she has shown that she is fully effective in testing conditions.
She seemed to run really well in the face of a stiff task on soft ground at Redcar last time when sixth to Gdansk in a classified stakes and she can now meet that rival on 17lb better terms.
With the pace likely to be middle-to-high the filly, who has run well before over this course and distance, should get a good lead and is preferred to Robin Hood, who is well suited by five furlongs on soft ground.
John Weymes' Second Venture shaped well over an inadequate five furlongs at Musselburgh last time and is the selection in the Joe Carr Memorial Nursery over a furlong further.
My selection was staying on stoutly in an above average race for the track on that occasion and he has already shown he can handle testing conditions over this course and distance when second to Armagnac on his penultimate outing.
Joe Fanning, who rides the juvenile, can also be on the mark on Chris Fairhurst's soft-ground specialist Ringside Jack in the Lochranza Handicap over a mile and a quarter.
The four-year-old has only had his preferred ground twice this season and he has duly won on both occasions - on heavy ground at Beverley in April and on soft at Chester last time.
Although he is up 7lb for that latest victory, the form looks solid enough and, with conditions in his favour here, there seems little reason why he can't account for some fully exposed handicappers.
As at Ayr the ground is likely to be very testing at both Leicester and Windsor.
The best bet on the card at the former meeting could be Ariala, who takes a drop in class in the Stoat Selling Stakes over a mile and a quarter. Karl Burke's three-year-old ran a cracker when third to the bang in-form Wilemmgeo over this trip in a handicap on soft ground at Sandown last time and that race has been given a boost when the winner went in again at Pontefract early last week.
Windsor looks equally difficult but if the meeting goes ahead it could be worth siding with the aforementioned Wilemmgeo, who bids to win her fifth race from her last six outings in the Arena Leisure Handicap over a mile and a quarter.
David Elsworth's Carlton has to shoulder the welter-burden of 10-04 but he loves soft ground and is the fancy in division 1 of the Robin Handicap over six furlongs.
A Sandown win last time confirms he is in excellent heart and he has plenty of course and distance form to his name on very testing ground.
His single figure draw could be an advantage and Richard Quinn, who gets on well with him is again in the saddle
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