We make a two-pronged attack on the Class 2 handicap at Ayr on Saturday

June 20

Daiquiri Bay ran far better than his eighth place might suggest in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, being beaten less than seven lengths.

He remains one for the notebook, but we still have one more bullet to fire in HMS President, who is back on the same mark (96) for today’s Duke of Edinburgh Handicap, as he was when finishing a neck second in the same race two years ago. He missed the cut by one for the Copper Horse on Tuesday, but he sneaked in at the bottom this time and Alan reports the popular veteran in good form at home.

Doubtless, Alan will be ensuring that he is near a television while enjoying lunch on the Royal Heath as he’ll be keen to watch Tennessee Orange take on just three rivals in the opener at Market Rasen. She is a point-to-point winner who ran creditably on her debut under Rules in a novice hurdle at Uttoxeter last month. The step up in trip here will suit Tennessee Orange.

We have four Saturday runners this week, split equally between Ayr and Bangor. Insanity and Westerton head to Scotland, both declared for the mile and five furlong handicap, while One Cool Dreamer and And She Was will be hotfoot down the M5 to Newton Abbot.

Connor Beasley has been booked for Insanity, who was twice a winner last season and will improve for his comeback run at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting, while Westerton has slowly looked to be returning to his smart form of two years ago and ran his best race for a while when finishing third at Epsom two weeks ago. He, too, ought to give Hollie Doyle a good ride.

Our brace at Bangor are also in the same race, the novice hurdle. Tom Bellamy rides One Cool Dreamer, who has some good Flat form and ran respectably on his jumping debut at Warwick earlier this month, while And She Was had also shown promise on her hurdling debut at Newton Abbot until she unshipped her rider after the final flight.