The third and final day of the Ayr Gold Cup Festival features, you guessed it, the Ayr Gold Cup – undoubtedly Scotland’s seasonal highlight.

I’ve suggested one at 12/1 for Saturday’s big race, as well as a Karl Burke filly who looks overpriced for the card’s sole Group contest.

15:00 – Dorothy Lawrence @ 5/1

The ‘support act’ to the Ayr Gold Cup is the G3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes, which sees nine two-year-old fillies compete over 6f.

Owen Burrows’ Raqiya is, at the time of writing, a fairly warm favourite. She remains open to significant improvement, as does Great Generation for Marco Botti.

Both ought to be taken seriously, but given Karl Burke’s Dorothy Lawrence has been there, done that and got the T-shirt at this level, I’m rather surprised she’s so easy to back.

The daughter of Soldier’s Call has taken her form to new heights lately, finishing fourth and not beaten far by the likes of Relief Rally and Cherry Blossom in the Lowther Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival before filling the runner-up spot behind Juniper Berries in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury just over two weeks ago.

That sets a high standard that the aforementioned market leaders have to reach – and that’s without considering the selection can come forward again.

15:35 – Aleezdancer e/w @ 12/1

So, who wins the Ayr Gold Cup?

It won’t be Michael Appleby’s Juan Les Pins, for one. The six-year-old was our market leader, but on Friday afternoon connections have declared their intention to withdraw him on account of the ground, which for information purposes is currently good to soft, with little forecast present.

I’m obviously not going to go through the rest of the 24 contenders, or I’ll still be here come the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Instead, I’m just going to make the case for one – Aleezdancer.

The four-year-old son of Fast Company began the current campaign with an impressive win off 93 in a 19-runner handicap at Doncaster and was raised 7lbs for doing so.

Then, he performed relatively poorly in four Class 2 events at Newmarket, York, Newcastle and Pontefract, before a return to form in the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood early last month.

I thought the handicapper was fairly generous to drop him a pound for that effort, which means he races here off a mark of 95 – just two pounds higher than at Donny back in April.

Kept at home since, I suspect Kevin Ryan, who is absolute mustard when it comes to training sprinters, has long targeted this race and I for one hope everything goes to plan.

With 6 places on offer as one of Betfred’s Super Extra Place Races, and given the nature of the event, this is an each-way suggestion.