'The ground is now finally in his favour' - which of the easy-going lovers will come good in competitive mile handicap?

This is typically one of the classier mile handicaps staged at Ayr. The past two winners have recorded three-figure Racing Post Ratings and one of those was Sparks Fly, who has gone on to win four Listed races in the mud.

There is set to be ease in the surface for this running and that is what plenty of these have been yearning for during the dry summer.

Three-year-old Law Of Design was an impressive soft-ground novice winner as a juvenile but has struggled in the Feilden Stakes and London Gold Cup this term. They were stronger heats and Law Of Design’s trainer, Brian Meehan, is an infrequent visitor to this track with a £6.50 level-stakes profit over the past five seasons (1-3). 

Asteverdi won on soft at Nottingham on her final start of the previous campaign and is another to catch the eye on her stable debut for Hugo Palmer, while The Outlaw ran a career best on a slow surface at Carlisle recently.

Perhaps the most interesting runner in an open contest is Theoryofeverything. He has a Group 1 pedigree and it is unlikely he has reached his ceiling for David O’Meara, having joined the trainer from the Gosdens last spring. 

Theoryofeverything brings a touch of class to this race and is entitled to build on his rock-solid fourth at Haydock on his comeback in May. It was his first start following wind surgery and conditions were quicker than optimal.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

Going update

The going was good to soft at the track on Saturday with a dry, sunny forecast for raceday. Temperatures will be 18C.

What they say

Jim Goldie, trainer of Kelpie Grey and Sea Legend
Kelpie Grey had some problems and it's his first run back for a while, so he'll come forward for this. I'm excited to have him back as he had a great run last year and the ground should suit him. He usually goes forward and that may also suit Sea Legend, who's in good form. We hope both can be competitive.

Gemma Tutty, trainer of Look Back Smiling
He's in at Carlisle on Saturday night but I think we'll run him both there and here, as he's only had two runs this season and the ground is now finally in his favour. There aren't many races for horses like him who need a bit of give, but we'll take what we can and he's in good shape.

Michael Dods, trainer of Eve's Boy
He likes some juice in the ground and there might be a bit of that. We're stepping him up to a mile as it's been difficult finding races for him, but he's in good form and has won at the track before. With that little bit of give, we hope he has a chance in a competitive race.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

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