William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Odds and Preview – Horse Racing Betting September 16

Use G Force to solve Ayr Gold Cup puzzle

Horse Racing Betting

Every year, maximum coverage is given to the effect of the draw in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup. Trainers even get the opportunity to choose from where their charges will start by means of a ballot held after the final declarations have taken place.

But what that has proved is that even the experts get it wrong sometimes and that may be the case this year. Those trainers who got first choice mainly opted for a high-numbered draw but the sprint races run at Ayr on the first two days of the Western meeting suggests the last place you want to be is near the stands rail. Those drawn high have been making a beeline for the centre of the track with the middle numbers faring best. The going may no longer be soft and that has probably wiped out the advantage those drawn very low had on Thursday.

Ayr Gold Cup History

The Ayr Gold Cup has an illustrious history having been first staged in 1804. Now the richest sprint handicap in Europe, it began life as two heats and a final over two miles to decide the winner. The field is limited to 25 by modern safety standards but the next 25 in the weights can contest the Silver Cup on the same day with another 25 put into the Bronze Cup, run a day earlier. Punters study both races for clues about the going and draw.

No horse drawn higher than 22 has won since 1997. As this year’s evidence suggests, it’s probably best be drawn in the middle from where jockeys can judge the best position in which to place their mounts. Stall eight has fared particularly well in the last dozen seasons, providing the winner on three occasions, though stall 19 has produced the winner in two of the last three years.

Brando comes out of eight this year and is well worth a second look at the 18/1 with the sponsors William Hill. He has a touch of class, though is probably high enough in the weights at present. Aeolus (a best 20/1 with Betfred) comes out of stall 19 but doesn’t match the stat which reveals that most recent winners ran in either August or September. Growl is favourite at a best 11/2 but market leaders in the Ayr Gold Cup had been having a tough time of it prior to Don’t Touch’s victory last year and he’s another who may now be too high in the weights.

G FORCE won the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup in 2014 and was fourth in the same race a year ago. He didn’t show much in his first three runs for Irish trainer Adrian Keatley but his latest third at Navan was more like it and he may have been brought to the boil at just the right time – a mark of 102 is certainly eye-catching and we’ll be helping ourselves to the 16/1 with Coral.

William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Current Best Odds

Growl (11/2), Magnus Maximus (12/1), Nameitwhatyoulike and Orion’s Bow (14/1), G Force, Jack Dexter and Aeolus (16/1), Brando and Kimberella (18/1), Final Venture and Terentum Star (20/1), Poyle Vinnie and Absolutely So (22/1) Hillbilly Boy, Flaming Spear, Watchable and Johnny Barnes (25/1), Perfect Pasture, Rivellino and Sir Robert Cheval (33/1), Baraweez, Glen Moss, Ascription, Lulu The Zulu (40/1)