The Lowdown: going updates, racecards, news and tips for today's racing

Today's news

• Ayr stages the first of its three-day Gold Cup meeting, with the Listed William Hill Doonside Cup Stakes (3.30) the feature event.
  
  
• Charlie Appleby is operating at a 28 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight and saddles two market principals at Yarmouth –Thread Of Silver (2.50) and Eynhallow (3.20).
  
  
• Deirdre, an unlucky fourth in Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes, could be supplemented for the Arc to take on Enable.
  
  
• Three-time Group 1 winner Benbatl may make his return to action at Newmarket next week. He was last seen finishing second to Winx in the Cox Plate.

Key links

Today's racecards
Today's non-runners
Today's free racing tipsLatest free bets

Today's meetings

**STAR MEETING**
Ayr (first race 1.30)
There are eight races to look forward to including the Listed Doonside Cup (3.30), for which the in-form What's The Story heads the betting. The novice stakes which opens the card is another intriguing event (1.30).
Going Good, good to soft in places (GoingStick 7.5 at 7am)
Spotlight tip Big Country (3.30)
Ayr's clerk of the course Graeme Anderson said: “It is an open, drying track and it shows how quickly things can swing. The forecast has changed – they had told us we could get showers on Friday night but now they are saying it could be 20C on Friday and Saturday. I’d say the ground will be good, good to soft in places for the start of the meeting then good on Friday and possibly good, good to firm in places on Saturday.”

Yarmouth (1.50)
Going Good to firm, good in places (GoingStick 7.1 at 6.45am)

Pontefract (2.10)
Going Good to firm, good in places (GoingStick 8.0 at 6.35am)

Chelmsford (4.55)
Going Standard

Southwell (5.15)
Going Standard

Key non-runners

3.30 Ayr Four White Socks (going)
4.00 Ayr Lady Alavesa (going)

Keep up to speed with today's non-runners and the latest changes with Raceday Live

Today's tips

Graeme Rodway's top tip

Gorgeous General (7.45 Southwell)

Course-and-distance winner who has bounced back to form recently and can go two better than when third at Newcastle on Tuesday.

Live Tipster
Pietro Innocenzi provides insight and selections for today's action on Raceday Live.

Ten Second Tip
Maddy Playle picks her best bets from Ayr and Yarmouth...

Today's video

John Quinn gives his thoughts on Liberty Beach ahead of next week's Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket...

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