Timeform UK SmartPlays: Thursday September 18

The trip to Yorkshire will be worth it if Misplaced Fortune, priced at near double-figures at the time of writing, delivers in the 16:00 at Pontefract. She's very much the senior in this youthful field, so it's perhaps a little surprising to select her. The case for Misplaced Fortune has its roots in a strong course record (her last win came in this race two years ago and she's made the frame on four of five subsequent visits) and a handicap mark that's now the lowest it's been for three years. The raft of unexposed sorts among the opposition mean we wouldn't put anyone off an each-way bet, though there is enough going Misplaced Fortune's way to justify going the win-only route that we recommend.

Almanack (16:10 Ayr) needs a little bit of luck. In fact, he needs loads of it and today's jockey Graham Lee is one of those people who's become luckier the more he's practised on the Flat. Almanack would have been rated highly enough to get into the Silver Cup last year and now finds himself in a Class 5, though the slide hasn't been as alarming as that makes out. He won at Kempton from a higher mark just a couple of months ago and has since suffered through circumstance more than anything self-inflicted, hampered or poorly placed on each of three starts prior to a failed attempt to ride him more handily last time. With a conducive field against him and a lucky charm on his back today, plenty looks in place for Almanack to take advantage of a lower turf mark.

The big race of the day at Ayr is the 16:40, in which local trainer Jim Goldie can gain ground before the stronger battalions arrive from south of the border later in the week. Mistiroc is on his way to being a very useful staying handicapper, if not better. He's running over 10 furlongs today but that was fine for him when he won at Haydock a couple of weeks back and we don't anticipate any issue with persevering over the trip even from a 7-lb higher mark. Greater experience ought to help him pull more out even if the trip can't. 

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Misplaced Fortune @ 8.27/1 in the 16:00 Pontefract
Back Almanack @ 5.39/2 in the 16:10 Ayr
Back Mistiroc @ 5.59/2 in the 16:40 Ayr