Today's Racing Tips: Two to back in the opener on Ayr Gold Cup day

13:20 Ayr - Back McMurray @ 11/43.75

The opening Class 2 mile handicap at Ayr on Saturday sees a few well handicapped horses but I think the one with the most in hand is the favourite McMurray for trainer George Boughey.

This gelding really kicked into stride in the latter part of the 2025 flat season, managing to land the first win of his career at Ffos Las in August over 7.5f, and he has not looked back since.

The three-year-old then stepped up to a mile in a Nursery Handicap at Doncaster and saw off a smart rival in Crest Of Fire who is now rated 98. McMurray went on to land the hat-trick when scooting home in just a two-runner race.

Seen just once this season at Chester's May meeting, he made it four wins on the spin for connections when showing a good attitude to get up close home in a strong handicap off a mark of 89. 

He has not been seen since that run and has undergone a gelding operation. Only being raised 4lbs for that win at Chester, showing on his previous starts he handles cut in the ground, and racing off a mark of 93 on Saturday afternoon leaves him ahead of the handicapper. 

If he is fit and well, he should go very close in this event.

13:20 Ayr - Thunder Roar @ 11/26.50 E/W 4 places

There are 14 runners in Ayr's opener and, having already made the case for the favourite for win purposes, I still think there is an angle into the race from an each way perspective, taking advantage of the four places on offer.

I mentioned earlier that this race sees, in my mind, a few well handicapped animals and another one of them is course and distance winner Thunder Roar. The seven-year-old is not getting any younger but, off a mark of 90, getting back to a track he enjoys, he can fill the places.

He was the winner of this race last year off a mark of 93 in similar conditions, and he was well backed that day going off the 5/1 favourite. Since declarations, he has been backed into 11/26.50 from 9/110.00 with a similar pattern to last year emerging.

His form this season has gone to pot, but that has returned him to an extremely workable mark if still having that fire in his belly for the sport. Racing off 3lb below his last winning mark in this race last year, a winner in soft conditions and with market support, there is plenty to like about the chestnut's chance of filling the frame with four places on offer on the Betfair Sportsbook.

Tom Marquand has picked up the ride, which is a positive jockey booking, and this looks to have been the plan all season long for him to go close.

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