THIS column has been performing wretchedly this week. In fact, since a  stupendous Saturday six days ago, we’ve failed abysmally to spot a winner. Pentiffic ran okay but was never allowed to get his own way at Ludlow yesterday. No excuses. So the law of averages suggest a winner could be nigh. Today’s cursed subject is the progressive mare BULL AND BUSH who is sent up to Scotland for the 4.55 at Ayr.

She has done the job nicely at Doncaster and Towcester. Any horse who wins over 3m at Towcester is a proper stayer so the trip today is no bother. She has gone up 6lb on her last run but appears to have enough scope to take that in her stride. The presence of the useful but 142-rated Mickie means Bull and Bush has a nice racing weight and the in-form Wayne Hutchinson continues to impress with his riding.

Today’s Newbury card is always a difficult one to weigh up with so many horses stepping foot on a racecourse for the first time. It’s well worth grabbing a notebook and analysing the maiden races several times to spot some future winners. There will be plenty of them.

3pt win Bull and Bush