Ayr, Monday 10 August 2026 — Tips & Selections

Ayr, Monday 10 August 2026 — Tips & Selections

Eight races on the card at Ayr today on good ground, and there is enough to work with across three featured races. The flat track at Ayr suits front-runners and those with a turn of foot in the straight, and good ground here plays fair for most types. With the York Ebor Festival just over a week away, trainers in the north are keeping their powder dry for bigger targets, but there is still plenty of competitive racing to get stuck into.

Donagh O’Connor’s course figures at Ayr are eye-catching, winning at 36% here from 14 rides with an A/E of 2.63. If he rides in any of our featured races, he deserves significant weight. William Haggas also brings a strong 25% course strike rate, and his runners at this track are rarely without a chance.

1:45 — EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (6f, Good)

Selection: Next Of Kin (5/6 Boyle Sports / Betfred)

William Haggas sends Next Of Kin to Ayr off a debut third, and that is almost always a marker worth following with his two-year-olds. Haggas runs at 25% wins at Ayr with an A/E of 1.11, confirming the yard delivers here rather than simply turning up. Cieren Fallon takes the ride, and while his overall Ayr figures are modest, pairing him with a Haggas juvenile from a promising debut is a different proposition entirely.

A debut third on a first-time outing tells you the filly has ability and has already learned from her racecourse experience. Maiden fillies’ races over six furlongs on good ground are exactly the conditions Haggas targets with his better prospects. The 5/6 price is not generous, but in a nine-runner field with no standout alternative, this is straightforward.

Fly Smartly at 11/4 is the main danger. Robson De Aguiar’s yard is in form at 1/3 in the last 14 days, and Donagh O’Connor’s 36% course strike rate cannot be ignored. If Next Of Kin disappointed at any stage, Fly Smartly each-way would be the fallback, but the Haggas filly gets the nod.

3:15 — Ladbrokes Handicap Stakes (1m2f, Good, 14 runners)

Selection: Star Cast Each-Way (3/1 Boyle Sports / Betfred, 11/4 LiveScore Bet)

Four wins from her last six starts, including back-to-back victories, is a sequence that demands respect. Gemma Tutty’s filly carries 142lb from a draw that is not ideal, and 52 days off the track is flagged as a concern, but form this consistent does not evaporate after a break. Tutty runs at 18% at Ayr with an A/E of 1.0, suggesting her horses perform to expectation on this course.

Jake Dickson takes a 5lb claim off the saddle weight, which partially offsets the burden, and the filly has course-and-distance experience on today’s going. In a 14-runner handicap with four places on offer, the 3/1 each-way terms look genuinely attractive for a horse who has been winning at a rate most in this field can only dream about.

Spirit Of Acklam at 4/1 is the biggest rival. A winner last time out, experience over today’s trip and conditions, and a yard that has had two winners in the past 22 days make him solid. But Star Cast’s form over the past six runs is a level above, and the Tutty connection at Ayr supports taking her on each-way terms.

3:45 — Ladbrokes Handicap Stakes (6f, Good, 16 runners)

Selection: Head For Freedom Each-Way (10/1 Boyle Sports / Betfred, 9/1 LiveScore Bet)

A 16-runner six-furlong handicap is exactly the type of race where the market is not always right, and Head For Freedom catches the eye at double-figure odds. Rated top of the field on our assessments at a mark of 70, he has run over today’s trip and going before, and two recent fourth-place finishes suggest he is knocking on the door rather than treading water.

The Michael and David Easterby yard has had two winners from 22 runners in the past fortnight, so they are not cold, and Joanna Mason is no passenger on a horse she will have practice with. At 10/1 in a four-place each-way race with 16 runners, the value case is clear. A horse rated top of the weights assessment who is running over a trip and going that suits does not need to win to make this bet pay.

Velvet Skies at 7/2 is the market leader, and a second last time out gives him claims, but six starts without a win is a concern and the price is tight for what you are getting. Lord Abama at 7/1 each-way also has a case given his rating, but Head For Freedom at a bigger price and with a higher mark gets the vote.

Today’s NAP

Star Cast — Ladbrokes Handicap Stakes (3:15, Ayr)
Odds: 3/1 — Boyle Sports / Betfred (others: 11/4 LiveScore Bet)

Four wins from six starts, including consecutive victories, is exceptional recent form for any handicapper. Gemma Tutty’s yard runs at a solid 18% at Ayr, the filly has course-and-distance experience on today’s going, and Jake Dickson’s 5lb claim softens the weight. The 52-day break is the one question mark, but horses in this kind of form answer questions like that. At 3/1 each-way across 14 runners with four places paid, this is the strongest value proposition on the card.

Each-Way Recommended — 4 places at 1/5 odds