NORTH Yorkshire trainer Kevin Ryan, who is preparing his stable star The Grey Gatsby for the Breeders' Cup in Keeneland in three weeks' time, can take the feature race at Ayr this afternoon with AL KHAN.

Graham Lee's mount was beaten only a neck into second over this course and distance last month by the in-form Right Touch in a strongly-run race at the Ayr Gold Cup Festival meeting.

A reproduction of that standard may be good enough to see Al Khan go one better in today's £25,000 Tennent's Lager Handicap.

In the meantime, Hambleton-based Ryan is priming The Grey Gatsby for his US bid at one of the showpiece fixtures of the global calendar.

Winner of last year's French Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and York's Dante, The Grey Gatsby has yet to win this year. But he has run some excellent races in defeat, being narrowly and unluckily denied at Royal Ascot by Free Eagle and twice finishing behind the brilliant Derby, Eclipse and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Golden Horn.

Ryan can also lift the Guinness Golden Ale Handicap with THE WEE BARRA, the mount of Shane Gray.

The three-year-old has been in fine form, winning his last two races at Carlisle and Ripon. A 6lb rise may not be enough to prevent him from completing a hat-trick – although Belle Travers, stepping back up in distance, may prove troublesome under Jack Garritty.

Richard Fahey, trainer of Belle Travers, has a host of runners on the card and boasts some fighting chances.

IN MY PLACE has shown promise for Fahey in maiden company. He looks more likely to make his mark in handicaps and gets the opportunity to shine in the opening division of the Famous Grouse Nursery.

In the second division, Fahey saddles SUNNUA, who has run some decent races this season. It would be no surprise to see her involved in the shake-up of this six-furlong dash.

In the Ben Maiden Stakes, Fahey is represented by nap selection LYDIATE, the mount of Tony Hamilton.

The two-year-old shaped with promise on her debut at Catterick when finishing fourth. That experience will not have been wasted on Lydiate, who has the scope for improvement.

This may not be the strongest of maidens and it may be that Lydiate has most to fear from the Mark Johnston-trained newcomer Huntlaw.

Few Ayr meetings come and go without Glasgow trainer Jim Goldie figuring among the winners and this is likely to be no exception. Goldie has a good chance with several runners, including HERO'S STORY in the Whyte & Mackay Handicap.

The five-year-old finally got his head in front this season, after a series of respectable efforts, at Hamilton just over two weeks ago. Fergal Lynch, in the saddle that day, has the mount again this afternoon.

Gordon Elliott is a regular with jumping runners at Perth but it is not too often that the skillful Irish trainer has runners on the Flat at Ayr.

He saddles recent winner DOVE MOUNTAIN in the concluding Caledonia Best Handicap with Tom Queally, far from a regular visitor to Ayr, taking the mount. It's a hint worth taking.

Norton jockey Barry McHugh makes the long journey to Chelmsford to ride MISS RANGER for North Yorkshire trainer John Wainwright in the Everest Fiftieth Birthday Handicap.

Nothing if not consistent, Miss Ranger won at Hamilton in August and has been beaten less than a length into second place on her last two starts at Beverley and Carlisle.

She now has to prove that she can handle this artificial surface – but if so, the ex-Irish Miss Ranger is entitled go well.

Also worth noting at Chelmsford are well-bred newcomer ELLTAAF (6.10) and the Mark Johnston-trained FIRE FIGHTING (7.40), a tough-as-teak handicapper who has run some big races this year and who lines up in the featured conditions race with Franny Norton in the saddle.