It’s Ladies Day at Ayr on Friday – and the second instalment of its famous Gold Cup Festival.

As it goes, my selections for the card, which includes an Ed Walker-trained juvenile who’s taken to win the opener, are both fillies. That’s the spirit.

13:15 – Miss Roberts @ 3/1

I can see why Ed Dunlop’s Lunar Streets may prove popular for this 0-85 fillies’ nursery handicap that opens the card. Her opening mark of 76 appears fair, but she begins to look opposable when you dive deeper into the form.

Of the 12 horses she’s beaten in two starts, there’s not been a single winner. The one horse to get the better of her, Havana Rose, was comfortably beaten in her two other appearances as well.

The bottom line? It’s weak form, and I want to take her on – especially with Dunlop in woeful form (1 winner from 31 runners).

Elinor Dashwood and Buttercross Flyer can’t be completely ruled out and the thrice-raced Roman Secret and Never Fear are hard to weigh up, but Ed Walker’s Miss Roberts gets my vote.

The daughter of Siyouni kept good company in her opening three starts before a huge effort when narrowly defeated off 79 on her first attempt in a handicap at Newmarket last month – and she again finished second last time out, this time to an odds-on shot for Roger Varian who remains entered for the G2 Dubai Rockfel Stakes at HQ next week, in a Beverley novice.

I’d say this represents her easiest challenge yet and she looks near-certain to go well under the brilliant Saffie Osborne, who’s enjoying a fabulous season.

14:50 – Pink Crystal @ 6/1

An hour-and-a-half later or so is the second of two Listed races on the card – specifically the Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes over 5½f.

The one my eyes are drawn to here is Pink Crystal for William Haggas.

She was highly-progressive last season, beginning her campaign with defeat in an all-weather handicap off a mark of 75 and ending it with a cracking third behind subsequent Group 2 winner Azure Blue and Makarova, who was fourth, beaten just over two lengths, in the Nunthorpe at York last month.

The Shamardal filly returned this term with a fair third in a handicap on the Knavesmire off a mark of 95 before what I rate a career-best showing in the G3 Summer Stakes at the same track.

Beaten just over a length by the 107-rated Swingalong, who followed up with a solid effort in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, and Royal Aclaim (103), both under the same ownership, is strong form – especially in the context of Friday’s contest.

I’m confident that if the same horse shows up, she’ll take some beating.