Golden Biff, who finally got off the mark at Catterick last week, is napped to defy a penalty at Ayr tomorrow.

The three-year-old, trained in Lanarkshire by Ian Semple, goes for the TDI Advertising Sprint Handicap and will again have the assistance of Roddy Lappin, who rode him to victory at Catterick.

Semple described Golden Biff as "a nightmare horse to train" after that success, the sprinter having had a succession of niggling problems along the way.

But he added that Golden Biff was particularly well suited by soft ground, which he got at Catterick and will get again tomorrow.

Tomorrow's Ayr card honours two trainers who are due to retire at the end of the season - Ripon-based Peter Calver, who is standing down after 25 years and is set to join the British Bloodstock Agency as their northern representative, and Jack Berry, who is handing over the reins of his Cockerham yard in Lancashire to his son Alan.

Fisher Island should go well in the Peter Calver Retirement Best Wishes Nursery Handicap.

Trained by Reg Hollinshead for Peter Savill, whose Pepperdine was a desperately unlucky loser of Saturday's Coral Sprint Trophy at York, Fisher Island has run well in similar races at Leicester and Ayr. The very able Francis Norton has the mount.

In the Jack Berry Retirement Best Wishes Handicap, Spartan Royale can take the honours for trainer Peter Monteith following a sterling fourth-placed effort in a warm race at Hamilton recently. Spartan Royale will be partnered by Paul Fessey, who is attached to the Berry yard.

Kevin Darley is unlikely to make a wasted journey to the west of Scotland. The Sheriff Hutton pilot can score on Sabreon (2.20) and Manicure (3.20).

Over the sticks at Sedgefield, Peter Beaumont can get off the mark for the season with Topothenorthracing in the Scotmail Handicap Hurdle.

Beaumont, who held an owners' open morning at his Brandsby yard yesterday, has a stable choc-full of talent and is well pleased with the condition of his horses as he prepares to step them up a gear.

Topothenorthracing has shown a liking for Sedgefield in the past and shaped with unmistakable promise here a fortnight ago when chasing home the fitter Lord Of The Land. That outing will not have been wasted on her and Tim Reed's mount can go one better tomorrow.

The Butterwick Handicap Chase may be best left to Maybe O'Grady, who got back in winning tune at Hexham recently.

Nick Smith's mount came home with ten lengths to spare after his closest pursuer slipped-up between the last two fences. He can prove that win was no fluke tomorrow.

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