IT'S THE first day of the Ayr Western Meeting and Richard Fahey, trainer of Ayr Gold Cup favourite Don't Touch, is aiming to make a flying start.

The Malton handler has sent a huge team of horses to Scotland and is fancied to land an opening-day treble this afternoon with Zaina Rizeena, Pamushana and Bayan Kasirga.

ZAINA RIZEENA lines up in the British Stallion Studs Novice Stakes, the curtain-raiser to the meeting, and is selected to follow up her maiden race success at Beverley last month.

Fulfilling the promise of her third-placed effort on her debut, Zaina Rizeena won in pleasing style at Beverley and that form has since been franked by the runner-up Ninetta, a winner at Carlisle on Tuesday.

Zaina Rizeena has more on her plate here against the likes of Speedy Company, a winner at Musselburgh and trained by John Quinn – who won this race last year with Moonlightnavigator – and well-bred newcomer Briyouni, trained by Kevin Ryan. But she is a progressive filly and is napped to come up trumps in the opener with Paul Hanagan in the saddle.

PAMUSHANA wears a first-time visor in the EBF Stallions Scottish Premier Series Fillies' Handicap and if the headgear has the desired effect, the Musley Bank three-year-old should be involved in the finish.

She was disappointing on her latest start at York – hence the visor now being applied – but she had previously turned in a succession of creditable performances. This easy ground will be in the favour of Jack Garritty's mount.

BAYAN KASIRGA can lift the Scott Bennett Associates Consulting Engineers Handicap in the hands of Sammy Jo Bell.

The five-year-old has yet to score this year but she has been fairly lightly raced and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from her latest start at Newcastle, when she finished fourth. She wears a first-time visor this afternoon.

The £25,000 William Hill Handicap is the feature race on the card and although Fahey's recent Goodwood winner Imshivalla has decent claims, OFF ART gets the vote to win for Tim Easterby.

The Great Habton gelding has run well in competitive handicaps at York and Doncaster on his last two starts. Opportunity can come knocking for him here.

Also worth noting at Ayr are the consistent ROYAL DUCHESS (2.55), a course and distance winner, and MAJESTIC MIRAAJ (3.30), who looks to be returning to form and who provides Tim Easterby with another winning opportunity on the card.

Closer to home, Pontefract stages an eight-race card – the highlight of which is the £15,000 EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Fillies' Handicap over six furlongs.

Bimbo, owned and bred by Lady Halifax, has course-winning form and enters calculations after her most recent success at Carlisle – but the vote goes to AVON BREEZE, trained by Richard Whitaker near Leeds.

George Chaloner's mount was staying on strongly to finish fourth at Doncaster last week. This step up to six furlongs will suit her.

Sheriff Hutton trainer Mark Walford, successful with Woody Bay at Catterick earlier in the week, can follow up with CORNBOROUGH in the Matty Brown Handicap.

The mount of Duran Fentman, the four-year-old has been knocking on the door in recent races and is overdue a winning turn.

Also worthy of consideration are Sir Michael Stoute's course-and-distance winner ENTITY (3.15) and the consistent DEW POND (4.55), who can make the most of a light weight in the second leg of the staying handicap.