Mullineaux seeking the avenue to riches

Talbot Avenue can break the David Nicholls stranglehold on tomorrow's Tote Ayr Gold Cup and in doing so provide Cheshire trainer Michael Mullineaux with the biggest success of his career.

The irrepressible Nicholls has pushed the boat out in style on the west coast by saddling Bahamian Pirate, Continent and Funfair Wane to win the last three runnings of Scotland's most coveted Flat race.

With seven runners, the Nicholls scattergun is out again this year, and splitting them is a tricky task.

The Stewards' Cup runner-up Fire Up The Band is the prime contender according to the bookies. Their caution is understandable, but Fire Up The Band didn't shape as if he's quite back at concert pitch at Doncaster last week and 7-1 is no bargain as he bids to defy his big weight.

Lack of value is also the main objection to several others towards the head of the market.

The fancy prices about Frizzante dried up long ago, though there can be little doubt that James Fanshawe's filly is a strong contender after finishing fourth from what looked a poor draw in the Stewards' Cup.

Seel Of Approval is on a roll after wins at York and must go well if yesterday's rain dries up, while Hit's Only Money and Hidden Dragon provide the canny Paul Blockley with two credible shots in a race he has been eyeing all year.

Vanderlin and Royal Millennium also have plenty to recommend them at their best, but in a race which looks more open than the market suggests a small bet on Talbot Avenue could pay dividends.

In order to back this five-year-old you have to forgive a lacklustre effort at York last time, but Mullineaux said that he came back with a leg problem there. The setback also stopped Talbot Avenue fulfilling an audacious entry in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes 48 hours later, but he's back on track now according to his handler.

Valuable sprint handicaps at York have never been easy to win, but Talbot Avenue stormed home to land one in July before running a blinder up against a very stiff task in a Listed race at Chester the following day. Weighing up how these big sprints will pan out is never straightforward, but with Corridor Creeper, Smokin Beau and Fire Up The Band all sited on the far side Talbot Avenue will get an excellent tow from stall four.

Time may show he lacks the class of one or two in this field, and his trainer is hardly the first man to spring to mind when £100,000 races come around. That said, Mullineaux has a pedigree at this meeting after springing a 33-1 surprise with Lady Boxer in the Silver Cup three years ago.

Talbot Avenue is available at similar odds or bigger - and that represents a sporting each-way punt if he's over what ailed him at York.