The Ayr Gold Cup is the highlight of a top weekend of racing action, and last year’s winner Advanced looks to have a great chance of completing the double.

Kevin Ryan’s five-year-old was given a terrific ride by Jamie Spencer to win the £150,000 added cavalry charge last year and seems to be returning to somewhere near his best after an eye-catching run last time out at Beverley.

Held up behind the leaders that day, the gelding stayed on really well to make the much improved Look Busy pull out all the stops and only went down by a length at the line.

Ideally suited by soft going, everything looks in place for a massive run, and at around 8-1, I think he will be very difficult to keep out of the frame.

Of course, there are plenty of tough customers in opposition, including a few old favourites of mine in the shape of River Falcon and Fonthill Road.

Both horses are now eight-years-old but are a real credit to their respective trainers Jim Goldie and Richard Fahey.

River Falcon has gradually dropped down the weights all season and showed he is still a force to be reckoned with when a fast finishing short-head second the Hogmaneigh at Doncaster last weekend.

The soft conditions will hold no fears for him, and if he is able to weave his way through the huge field with his customary late run, he may well land the prize which his trainer has had in mind for him for such a long time.

Likewise, Fonthill Road, who won the race in 2006 and finished a highly creditable fifth behind Advanced in last year’s renewal, should strip much fitter for his belated seasonal reappearance where he was a never dangerous sixth behind Look Busy and looks sure to play a prominent role again in the hands of useful claimer Fredrik Tylicki.

Over at Newbury, the big race of the day is the Mill Reef at 2.35 where Brian Meehan’s Gallagher could be the one to be on.

He was a cracking second when beaten only half a length by the highly thought of Bushranger in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville last time out, and that form looks outstanding in this line up.

On the football front, Wanderers will be looking to shoot down the Gunners in a tough looking clash at the Reebok.

Gary Megson’s side don’t have a very good record against Arsene Wenger’s boys, and I make them 9-2 shots to cause an upset and clinch the three points.

The Londoners are 4-7 chances in my book, with the draw rated a 12/5 chance.

Games between the two sides usually create plenty of goals, and Bolton fans may be tempted by the 9-1 on offer for the in-form Kevin Davies to bag the opener.

He has already netted two goals in the four opening games of the season and could prove a real handful for the Arsenal defence.

For the away side, I reckon that Emmanuel Adebayor is the man to fear most and make him 7-2 to net the first goal in the game.

On the outright Premier League betting front, Bolton remain 2,500-1 outsiders to lift the trophy with Chelsea now the clear even money favourites after their impressive unbeaten start.