Verdict

A typically tricky sprint handicap and not too many can confidently be ruled out. However, Dancing Mystery has been running well enough of late to give him another chance today and he is narrowly preferred over Bond Playboy, Palawan and last season's Ayr Gold Cup winner Quito, who has been kept very busy over the last couple of months but has received no help whatsoever from the assessor. The back-to-form Zarzu also comes into the argument on the best of his form and he will not be too far away if he puts in something like his best, as his record at this trip reads well enough to give him sound each way claims; even though he is creeping up the weights. The terms of today's race also do not make it easy for Connor Dore's charge and will do well to repeat his course and distance effort from last time as he meets the selection on 5lb worse terms. Therefore, with a handy draw in stall number four, Dancing Mystery has every chance of towing them along at the pace he needs and, with the weights marginally in his favour, he is taken to edge a very tight one to call.