Intilaaq is being touted as a Group One horse in waiting and he will have those credentials tested in the Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock today.

I take him on with Fire Fighting, who doesn’t know how to run a bad race. He is as tough as they come, like most of Mark Johnston’s horses. Mark has enjoyed a terrific season, highlighted by an extraordinary July, when he posted 47 winners. That must be a record for a Flat trainer in the UK. I am just glad that I get to share in some of those successes!

He has nine and a half lengths to make up on Intilaaq based on their Newbury runs last month. Now, I am not saying he can bridge that difference, but my horse is in the form of his life. He was a slightly unlucky third in a ten-furlong handicap at Goodwood last time. He didn’t get the gaps early enough and flew home. If we can get into a scrap with Intilaaq, then it might give him something to think about. Otherwise, Fire Fighting looks the one for the forecast.

I have been riding at two meetings on quite a few Saturdays now and I make the trip to Ayr for the evening meeting after Haydock.

It should be worth it as I think I can leave with a winner or two, with the best chance being Templier in the one-mile maiden.

Again I team up with Mark Johnston and this two-year-old showed promise on his debut second at Musselburgh last week. He should see off these.

Pomme De Terre is still a maiden after four starts and steps up in trip for the seven-furlong handicap, which I think will suit. He has a place chance, as does Rock Canyon, who is a dual course winner and lines up in the six-furlong handicap.

Gowanharry, who runs in the five-furlong handicap, always goes well at Ayr and will take a hand in the finish, while Roc De Prince has a small each-way chance in the long-distance handicap.

I hope you followed my advice on Ocean Sheridan, who completed his hat-trick at Hamilton last weekend. It was all very straightforward. He clearly loves the track plus the soft ground and he’s been placed expertly.

Hopefully, he can continue this rich vein of form and we can find another good opportunity to make it four. We might find a nice handicap for him at the Ayr Western Meeting.

It’s difficult to know how good Hernandoshideaway might be. He made it two from four with the minimum of effort at Pontefract on Wednesday. He is one of the last Hernando progeny, if not the last, to be sold following the stallion’s death a couple of years ago and hopefully he can do the bloodline justice.

The plan looks to be the Melrose Handicap at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, at which I am looking forward to riding Mecca’s Angel in the Nunthorpe and Easton Angel in the Lowther. Both are in great form but more on that next week.

Otherwise, it’s been a quiet week or so. I did get the chance to give Richard Hughes a hug and shake his hand at Goodwood on Friday and if he ever sends any runners up north I’ll be sticking my hand up for rides.

Paul is sponsored by leading racing broadcaster Racing UK, which recently launched its Day Pass. The new service enables racing fans to watch a day’s action for a one-off fee of £10. Visit racinguk.com/daypass for more.