Ayrshire Cancer Support James Bond Ball Handicap (Class 4)

(Published 17.05, June 17) – Our Charlie Brown goes on most surfaces and two of his five career successes have come on the forecast good to firm surface. Rachael Richardson claims a valuable 3lb and, if enjoying better luck-in-running this time than when twice hampered at Catterick recently when an unlucky fourth, this gelded son of American Post should go close.

Saint Equiano and Proud Archi were fourth and fifth respectively behind Luis Vaz De Torres over course and distance two weeks ago and both have been eased 1lb by the handicapper as a result. Saint Equiano, trained by Keith Dalgleish, would probably prefer an easier surface, but PROUD ARCHI handles the ground well, and if ridden with a little more enterprise than last time when held up some way off the pace he might prove a danger to all under the promising Callum Rodriguez, who claims 3lb and has been in good form of late.

Sultan Baybars is interesting as he has come down the weights quickly over his last six starts, but this former Roger Varian-trained four-year-old hasn’t run by any means badly on his last three starts yet has still been eased a total of 6lb. He looks on a dangerous mark but is clearly not easy to win with having failed to score in 13 outings since scoring on his racecourse debut two seasons ago.

The ex-French Mudawwan is still relatively unexposed after just six outings which include a win in a Deauville Polytrack maiden over the extended seven furlongs last August. He ran a promising race on his debut for James Bethell three-and-a-half-weeks ago when runner-up in a Catterick novice stakes and is certainly respected with that run having blown away the cobwebs.

Florencio won off a mark of 80 on the Fibresand at Southwell last month and only narrowly failed to follow up on turf at Carlisle last time when runner-up in a mile handicap, beaten a length, since when he has been raised 3lb. Roaring Forties has already been confirmed a non runer.