Wednesday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets at Ayr

Pearl Eye won several races for Daryl Holland, but seemed to get a little stale last season and things didn’t improve for a spell with Gay Kelleway recently.

However a move away from Newmarket to Jim Goldie’s has certainly seemed to invigorate him judged on his recent debut for the Scottish trainer. The six-year-old is now weighted 11lb lower than his last winning mark, so is clearly very well-weighted on back form, and he signalled last time that he was ready to win again soon.

He was nearest at the finish over a mile at this track and looked as though a small step up in trip would very much suit. He seemed to get on very well with excellent 5lb claimer Lauren Young, who is back on board this afternoon.

Roger Varian sends just one runner up to Ayr and it is hard to imagine this lightly-raced four-year-old is not ready to win on his handicap debut.

He progressed in each of his three runs last season culminating in a win at Nottingham last backend. The second and fourth from that race are both rated higher than the 80 mark that Return To Unit is running off for his handicap debut, and he looks to start out on a generous mark.

He might benefit from the run of the race with Degale, the likely pace setter drawn just inside him, and he might be an interesting horse this summer.

Iain Jardine’s gelding has had his recent successes on the all-weather, but he won twice over this course and distance in 2023 and might be ready to land a third win here.

Novak was beaten less than two lengths last time out over a mile here and has been dropped a generous 2lb for that good effort over a trip he has never won over.

He is dropped back to his best trip of 7f and is off a mark now 7lb lower than his latest win, so is clearly well enough handicapped.