IT’S already being a fantastic week for the talented Poet’s Place and it’s not over yet, as he bids to scoop the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup tomorrow and add it to last Saturday’s polished display in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster.

Sent off the well backed 4-1 favourite, Poet’s Place beat his 21 rivals to show he is very much a sprinter on the way up. Owned by Elaine Russell and trained by David Barron, Poet’s Place looks a Group horse in handicaps at the minute and his jockey Philip Makin is hoping in can take tomorrow’s feature: “He was super at Doncaster and, with plenty of rain around up in Scotland; the conditions should suit him better at Ayr.

“There are always risks in running horses quickly, but he deserves his chance and is the horse they all have to beat.”

Poet’s Place will be joined in the race with recent York winner and stable companion Hitchens while Barney McGrew, runner-up in the race last year, heads the weights and David Nicholls has a few regulars out in force, to try and win a race that means so much to him.

Back at Doncaster, Mark Johnston might be in America looking for next year’s talent already, but his horses continue in fine form and he also had a winner with Capponi, who took the 1mi handicap in good style under Silvestre De Sousa.

A few hundred miles south, Johnston also had a winner down at Goodwood with Hajoum, who made all in the opening race under a canny ride from Greg Fairly.

Johnston kicked off the new week with another winner, this time it was Nawaashi who lost her maiden tag in the opening fillies’ maiden under Richard Hills.

Michael Dods had a welcome winner in the following nursery with Empress Royal who benefitted from a strong ride from the inform Makin.

Also on Monday, Musselburgh staged an eight-race card and, yet again, Mark Johnston was on the mark, this time it was Cat O’Nine Tails who was winning her third race of the season.

Ann Duffield has enjoyed a fine season, if a little frustrating of late with many of the horses hitting the crossbar, and the Constable Burton trainer saddled a double in the first two races kicking off with the admirable Salerosa, who was given a strong ride by Paul Mulrennan.

Running in the colours of David Barker and Phil White, the fiveyear- old mare has now won eight races and can win again, on the evidence of this.

Duffield’s next winner came with Janet’s Pearl, who appreciated the drop into selling grade to get her head in front after a string of consistent efforts.

Later in the day at Musselburgh, Paul Mulrennan was the jockey to follow as he went on to complete a fine treble with wins on the Howard Johnson trained Earl Wild and Alistair Whillians’s Lady Bluesky.

On Wednesday, Beverley staged an eight-race card and Paul Hanagan, who is going all out for his first jockeys’ championship, teamed up with the in-form Ann Duffield to take the 5f maiden with the wellbacked favourite Indieslad, who already had some good form in defeat this season.

The second of Ayr’s three day Western meeting gets under way today with a very competitive eight-race card starting at 2.10pm.

Dods and Makin, who teamed up to good effect earlier in the week at Redcar, can have another winner in the opening 7f maiden.

Dods saddles three runners in the contest but Uptown Guy seems the clear pick of them judged on his two previous starts earlier in the summer when he was placed in better races and the step up in trip should suit.

Tomorrow’s card at Ayr is not all about the Gold Cup itself as there is a cracking renewal of the Doonside Cup over the 10f trip and Howard Johnson and Paul Mulrennan can have another winner here with Prospect Wells.

The five-year-old found the ground too quick last time out in the Ebor at York but before that, looked very smart when winning at Pontefract.

He has excellent form in his native France and conditions should be spot on tomorrow.

Closer to home, Catterick also race tomorrow, their seven-race card is due to get under way at 2.05pm.