Big move: Irish raider now 6-1 (from 20) for Cesarewitch trial at Newmarket

There has been a substantial move for Irish raider Great Bear in the Close Brothers Cesarewitch Trial Handicap (3.15) at Newmarket.

The Tom Gibney-trained five-year-old was well beaten at Leopardstown on his last start but this step back up in trip could suit and he has been backed into 6-1 (from 20) with bet365.

A low draw and a low price is doing nothing to sway punters away from the Ed Walker-trained Great Ambassador in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup (3.40).

The Stewards' Cup third – drawn in stall one and on a hat-trick after recent wins at Newmarket and York – is now no bigger than 7-2 (from 5) for the 24-runner sprint.

His stablemate Popmaster is also proving popular and is 15-2 second favourite (from 8) with most bookmakers, while money has come for King Power Racing duo Bielsa and Fivethousandtoone at bigger prices.

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the nine races on ITV on Saturday

Like his namesake manager at Leeds United, Bielsa is yet to earn a victory this season but punters are hopeful that winless spell will be broken today and he is a best-priced 10-1 having been 16-1 in places when markets opened on Thursday. Fivethousandtoone has shortened to 14-1 (from 18) with bet365 but is no bigger than 12 elsewhere.

Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (4.00) favourite Dhabab has eased to 11-4 (from 2-1) for the feature race at Newbury.

Punters seem happier to take a chance on the Clive Cox-trained Wings Of War and the Sirenia Stakes runner-up is a best-priced 10-1 (from 14) for the Group 2 juvenile contest.

Market movers

Ayr
1.55 Platinumcard 9-1 (from 14)
2.30 Magical Spirit 15-2 (from 10)
3.40 Fivethousandtoone 14-1 (from 18)
3.40 Popmaster 15-2 (from 8)
3.40 Great Ambassador 7-2 (from 5)

Newbury
2.50 Foxes Tales 5-2 (from 10-3)
3.25 King Of Clubs 5-1 (from 13-2)
3.25 Injazati 13-2 (from 15-2)
4.00 Wings Of War 10-1 (from 14)
4.00 Dhabab 11-4 (from 2)

Newmarket
3.15 Great Bear 6-1 (from 20)

Ground eased at Ayr after overnight rain

The ground at Ayr has eased to good, good to soft in places (from good to firm) as the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup (3.40) headlines one of the biggest days in the Scottish racing calendar.

6.3mm of overnight rain means conditions have eased for the £150,000 sprint over six furlongs.

Five races from Ayr headline a bumper nine-race showing on ITV this afternoon and the ground had initially been declared as good for the track's most prestigious Flat meeting early this morning.

However, clerk of the course Graeme Anderson walked the course again mid-morning and altered the description. He said: "I think the rain has just got in a bit more. It walks a wee bit easier and I think it will ride a wee bit easier. It is forecast to be dry and sunny until racing – there is just a 30 per cent chance of a shower around 4.30pm.

"At the beginning of the week we were being predicted 10mm and then before racing started that was down to 3-4mm, so it's a wee bit more than expected but we knew we were getting something.

"It's great to be back to some sort of normality and we think we're going to have about 10,500 people here. It's been great to have some atmosphere back over the last two days and that'll be added to today."

The ground at Newbury, where the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (4.00) is the pick of four live ITV races, has quickened very slightly since racing on Friday to good, good to soft in places (from good to soft, good in places).

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "The ground is very similar to yesterday and we could have left it the same, but on balance we have gone good, good to soft in places. There is still plenty moisture in there and it's a very kind surface just on the easy side of good.

"It's a very misty damp start here and it's due to brighten up later and get to about 21C, but we're in autumn now so I wouldn't expect it to dry at all."

Non-runners

Ayr
2.30 1. Air Raid
3.40 13. Chiefofchiefs
4.15 2. Young Fire, 12. Maraakiz
4.50 1. Tammani, 5. Cassy O, 9. Poet's Magic. 12. Ebury, 14. Pockley
5.20 7. Beechwood Jude

Newbury
1.40 3. The Turpinator
5.05 4. Ridgeway, 6. Whitehaven

Saturday's race previews:

2.15 Newbury: will the true Khaadem turn up again? Tom Collins assesses a 'wide-open' sprint

2.30 Ayr: trainer views and tipster analysis before an ultra-competitive Ayr Silver Cup

2.50 Newbury: gelded Al Aasy should be close to his best on return says William Haggas

3.05 Ayr: unbeaten runner's tendency to hit flat spot makes her an in-running play

3.40 Ayr: 'Hopefully this will be his last run in a handicap' – key Ayr Gold Cup quotes

3.40 Ayr: why Great Ambassador may find himself in the worst possible position (Members' Club)

4.00 Newbury: will early season form or late-season bloomers flourish in a puzzling Mill Reef?

4.30 Gowran Park: 'It's probably the first time all season she's got her proper ground'

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