The Punt Daily: Tom Collins with three to follow on Friday

BANKER

Darius Des Bois(3.15 Ayr)

Disappointing in maiden and novice hurdles over the Christmas period but improved dramatically for a wind operation and a step up to 3m when smashing nine rivals at Newbury last month. He travelled like a horse much better than his mark of 115 that day and has only gone up 8lb for the victory. Nicky Henderson doesn't send many runners to the Scottish venue and the race conditions look set to suit. He should hack up.

GOOD THING

Global Applause(3.35 Newbury)

There are plenty of forward-going types in this sprint handicap and it may be run to suit the classy Global Applause, who is ridden by Gerald Mosse for the first time. Ed Dunlop's runner had a cracking juvenile campaign in 2016 that included beating subsequent dual Group 2 winner Mehmas in the Listed National Stakes, finishing fourth in the Gimcrack and third at this track behind Harry Angel in the Mill Reef. He had a disappointing time of things in three starts last year but showed signs of a revival when fifth over the minimum trip when last seen at Doncaster. The drying ground will help his chances and a mark of 98 almost certainly underestimates the four-year-old.

EYECATCHER

Dougan(7.15 Bath)

I was confident of a huge run from Dougan when he finished runner-up to the extremely well-treated Calder Prince (I wish I knew that at the time) at Wolverhampton earlier this month. Despite being beaten six lengths, he ran a good race and finished a clearcut second off a mark of 88. He's been dropped another 1lb for that effort, which is rather lenient, and he looks certain to enter the winner's enclosure sooner rather than later. The trip is a slight worry with most of his recent form coming over further, but he'll be staying on strongly to the line and the booking of Silvestre de Sousa is eyecatching.

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