All you need to know about the day's racing as Ayr goes ahead

After the loss of the entire three-day Western meeting there was some good news for Ayr as the track passed a morning inspection.

The threat of heavy rain meant clerk of the course Graeme Anderson called an 8am inspection but, despite 7.5mm of rain falling in the last 24 hours, he gave the course the all clear early – with the ground given as heavy.

Speaking to the Racing Post on Thursday morning Anderson said: "We had 7.5mm yesterday morning but we didn't have any more through the night so I'm a lot happier this morning. We have a couple of areas right on the edge of the track with standing water but we've just moved the rail out a fraction to take them around them. We're talking a step for about eight lengths, it won't change the distances in any measurable way.

"We're windy, but walking it I think it will ride heavy and I don't see it changing."

The meeting had already been moved to the hurdles track to avoid the patch of waterlogged ground that cost the course the Ayr Gold Cup festival.

Elsewhere the four-runner beginners' chase at Exeter (4.20) contains Wotzizname, a horse even Harry Fry could not contain his excitement over as a novice hurdler, as well as the useful Coastal Tiep to keep him honest.

Meanwhile, at Worcester the mares' novices' chase (1.50) has an outside chance of proving the strongest non-Pattern mares' race of the season. Dusky Legend, twice runner-up the Dawn Run at the Cheltenham Festival, does not even look terribly attractive at overnight odds of 5-2.

Going report

Thurles - first race 1.35
Good to yielding

Worcester - 1.50
Good, good to firm in places (GoingStick: 6.9 on Thursday at 6am)

Ayr - 2.00
Heavy

Exeter - 2.10
Good to soft, good in places
(GoingStick: Chase 6.3. Hurdle 6.2 on Wednesday at 8am)

Chelmsford - 5.45
Standard

Market movers

2.35 Thurles - Apparition 2-1 (from 5-2)
2.55 Worcester - Deyrann De Carjac 8-1 (from 10)
3.05 Ayr - Carlovian 6-1 (from 13-2)
3.25 Worcester - Eau De Nile 12-1 (from 14)
7.45 Chelmsford - Pretty Passe 9-4 (from 11-4)

What to back

Our team provide their usual bank of tips, plus Signposts Sweetspots show the way to punting profit.

For subscribers, Paul Kealy looks at the day's action, while Alan Sweetman focuses on Ireland.

What to read

Lee Mottershead yesterday delivered a stunning exposé of the malpractice in sales rings. Read it in its entirety here.

Meanwhile, Bruce Millington urges readers not to get carried away with England' World Cup qualification.

What to watch

Lee Mottershead talks to Katherine Fidler about his findings on sales ring malpractice.

The best of Racing Post Sport

After a breathless few days finalising the World Cup qualifying, Dan Childs looks at the lie of the land ahead of Russia 2018.

It is also Italian Open week on the European Tour. Steve Palmer takes his view.

Final thought

Future champions weekend gets underway at Newmarket tomorrow, but this evening at Chelmsford provides Flat fans with their best action of the day, at least in the form of the conditions stakes (7.15) that pitches last year's July Stakes winner Boynton against Victory Bond and Red Verdon.