Wednesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature, the Trainer Statistics (TS) report is, in fact, four reports in one. It contains information on a trainer’s recent form, and their longer term course form. For each of 14 day, 30 day, course one year, and course five year, users can filter by runs, wins, places, win profit/loss and each way profit/loss. Clicking on any row in the report will reveal the runners that trainer has entered on the day in question, and clicking on the runner row will open that race in a new tab.

And with TS report qualifier Enemy At The Gate running in one of our featured races, let's head North for the 2.10 Ayr, a 7-runner, Class 4, 4yo+ handicap hurdle over a left-handed 2m5½f on soft ground that is already heavy in places and with more rain expected, it's difficult to expect it to be any quicker come race time. Here's the card...

Mount Melleray returns to action some 24 months after his last start, so he might well need the run here, as all his opponents have raced in the last four weeks with only Ballin Bay emerging as a winner.

He had Enemy At The Gate a length and a half behind him as runner-up that day, whilst Cream of the West and Here Comes McCoy both finished third on their last outings, the latter doing so for the third time in a row but he did win six races ago.

HERE COMES MCCOY has finished third of seven in all three starts over hurdles since unseating his rider on chase debut last New Year's Eve when trying to refuse to jump the first fence. His recent form over these smaller obstacles reads 216333 and he should be in the mix here, but will need to step forward.

MOUNT MELLERAY hasn't been seen since October 2022 and is a 13-race maiden. On the positive side, he has finished in the first three home seven times from his last ten outings and drops a class here. Likely to need a run or two.

CORAL BLUE won three times over hurdles last season, including over 2m4½f here at Ayr on his penultimate run of the campaign. He recently returned from an eight month break at Newcastle, when 9th of 12, beaten by 33 lengths over 2m1f and looking like he needed the run. Should come on for having had the outing, but will need improvement to win here.

NOWINITTOWINIT won back to back hurdles races at Perth in April/May before a six month break. He returned at Musselburgh recently and was beaten by 33 lengths. Now wears a tongue tie for the first time.

BALLIN BAY made steady progress over hurdles (finishing 6643) before getting off the mark at Kelso last time out, beating the re-opposing Enemy At The Gate by a length and a half. That run came after a 229-day absence, so there's every chance he has more to offer.

ENEMY AT THE GATE is a ten-race (2 x NHF, 8 x hrds) maiden, but has ran creditably in defeat of late, finishing 2342 in his last four with runner-up defeats of 0.75 and 1.5 lengths. He was beaten by Ballin Bay last time out, but is now 3lbs better off, so should give another good account of himself here.

CREAM OF THE WEST has yet to make the frame in three starts under Rules, but came closest last time out, when third of six, beaten by less than four lengths on heavy ground at Hexham on his return from a seven-month break. You'd expect him to be able to build upon that, but an opening mark of 97 on handicap debut is hardly lenient.

Instant Expert isn't as useful here as it normally is, but does suggest that but for probably needing the run, this race might have been well suited for Mount Melleray to make the frame...

Here Comes McCoy is sure to like the ground, as should Enemy At the Gate but he has struggled in this grade so far. Coral Blue is our sole track winner and gets this trip readily. Featured runner Enemy At The Gate has fared well in defeat over this distance too.

Looking back over previous similar races here at Ayr, we see that the further forward a horse has raced, the better the chance of making the frame and ultimately going on to win...

...and if we compare that data with our field's running styles in their last three outings (one runner only has three to compare, you see)...

...that would suggest that Cream of the West, Here Comes McCoy and Nowinittowinit might have a job on their hands.

Summary

Ballin Bay beat Enemy At The Gate last time out and even though he's worse off at the weights, I still think he'll maintain the advantage with the benefit of that run under his belt. Mount Melleray scored well on Instant Expert (place) and is likely to be up with the pace, but I just think he'll need the run here.

Coral Blue is a former course and distance winner, but would need to step up to win here and whilst he has every chance of making the frame, I don't think he's as good as Ballin Bay, so almost by default, Ballin Bay is my pick here.

He's currently (4.55pm) priced at 10/3 with bet365, as is Enemy At The Gate and they're probably very closely matched. Coral Blue is interestingly the 8/1 outsider and with bet365 paying three places, he might well be a useful E/W selection.