David Nicholls, who has won the Ayr Gold Cup for the last two years, can complete an outstanding hat-trick in the Tote-sponsored £100,000 showpiece in Scotland tomorrow.

The North Yorkshire trainer saddles four runners in the six-furlongs event and is napped to land the spoils with Hurricane Floyd, the mount of Eddie Ahern.

Significantly, the four-year-old carries the same black and white colours of the Lucayan Stud, carried by Nicholls' previous two winners, Continent last year and Bahamian Pirate in 2000.

Although unplaced on his latest start at Ascot, that race was over a mile, and Hurricane Floyd is better judged on his effort in the Stewards' Cup, over tomorrow's distance, in which he finished strongly in fourth place.

The Goodwood course was considered to be too sharp for Hurricane Floyd, who will be better suited by tomorrow's stiffer track. He is ideally situated in stall 27, just one place off the stands rail.

Nicholls will also be represented by Funfair Wane, owned by Jean Keegan, wife of Manchester City manager Kevin, and also the ex-French Extinguisher and In Spark. Funfair Wane promises to prove best of that trio.

Add to the equation the likes of Kevin Ryan's Halmahera, winner of last week's Portland Handicap at Doncaster, and the progressive Impressive Flight, trained by David Barron near Thirsk, and a trio of Tim Easterby runners, Artie, Good Girl and Forever Times, and the Yorkshire flag have strong claims.

Hurricane Floyd is the one for me, however, to provide sprint-specialist Nicholls with another Gold strike.

Unshakeable will be hard to beat in the Tote Ayrshire Handicap. Trained by Bob Jones in Newmarket, the three-year-old has won both his races this season and is currently one of the favourites for the Cambridgeshire Handicap next month. He can advertise his claims for that valuable event by scoring again.

In the Firth of Clyde Stakes, sponsored by Faucets, Irresistible will not be short of supporters. Michael Bell's high-class filly won well after being heavily supported at York's recent Sunday meeting and looks capable of coping with this step up in class.

At Newbury, the Dubai International World Trophy over five furlongs looks a good opportunity for Bishops Court to follow-up his Listed-race success at Doncaster last weekend.

Lynda Ramsden's charge, who fractured his pelvis in this race last year, bounced back to his best at Doncaster. He is capable of obliging again for his owner-breeder, David Brotherton, from Whitwell-on-the-Hill.

Tomorrow's tips:

Ayr

1.45 Irresistible, 2.15 Vintage Premium, 2.50 Go Tech, 3.25 Unshakeable, 4.05 Hurricane Floyd (Nap), 4.35 Dune, 5.10 Mystic Man.

Newbury

(televised races)

2.00 Romany Prince, 2.35 Bishops Court, 3.05 Nadour Al Bahr, 3.40 Researched.

Catterick

2.10 Eiger, 2.40 Freya Alex, 3.10 Red River Rebel, 3.45 Zingari, 4.20 Craiova, 4.50 Academy, 5.20 Summer Shades.

Updated: 12:14 Friday, September 20, 2002