TRAINER Andrew Parker and jockey Paul Robson should not leave Ayr empty-handed in view of the fact that both Gangsters R Us and Workaway are strongly fancied to win their races at the popular Scottish track.

Gangsters R Us (3.50) is first on stage in the two-mile-and-six-furlong James Barclay Memorial Hurdle. Patience is a crucial virtue when nurturing slow-maturing National Hunt horses and Andrew's long wait to win a race with the selection was finally rewarded when he picked up a novices' hurdle event last month.

The clear-cut manner with which Gansters R Us pulled away hinted that he now possesses the requisite strength to progress and win again, even though he has been stepped up considerably in grade.

Most of Parker's horses used to be partnered by Brian Storey, but following Storey's recent retirement to become a part-time starter, the rising star-of-the-saddle, Paul Robson, has been drafted in to do the honours.

There's currently no finer young pilot than Robson, who is expected to complete a double aboard Workaway (5.20) in the Shortbread Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

It was Storey who was in the driving seat when Workaway recorded an all-the-way success at Kelso in November, gamely holding all-comers with a rousing victory under an extremely positive and enterprising ride.

Neither has the consistent seven-year-old let the side down since, finishing in the money over course and distance last time out when he was catching the winner, Jupiter de Bussy, hand-over-fist on the comparatively short run-in to the line.

It's Grand Military Gold Cup day at Sandown, where Kings Mistral (3.30) has decent prospects of landing the £12,000 amateur jockeys' feature.

Patrick Chaming's splendid ten-year-old chaser is bidding for a fourth course win at the track, renowned for its heart-stopping fences and stiff uphill climb to the winning post.

Josh Gifford is due to retire at the end of this season after a distinguished career, which included Grand National glory courtesy of the Bob Champion-ridden, Aldaniti.

Gifford may yet have a few aces to play, including Rosco (4.00) in the Tote-sponsored Showcase Handicap Hurdle.

Rosco was clearly in need of the outing when making a belated, but encouraging reappearance run over track and trip exactly three weeks ago.

Get more racing online at www.racing-north.co.uk.