Prize money totalling almost £200,000 is on offer in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, one of the most valuable handicaps in the closing months of the UK Flat season.
Ayr Gold Cup History and Trends
The William Hill 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. Stall eight has fared particularly well in the last 14 years, providing the winner on four occasions including in 2016. Stall 19 has produced the winner in two of the last five years.
- All but one of the last 18 winners had run in the previous four weeks.
- No filly or mare has won the race this century.
- The age range of winners is largely inconclusive, though there has been no winner aged older than six since 1993 and only two three-year-olds have been successful in the last 24 years.
- With three of the last 11 winners, Kevin Ryan is easily the most successful trainer of modern times.
Recent Winners of the Ayr Gold Cup
| YEAR | HORSE | AGE | WGT | FORM | TRAINER | JOCKEY | RUNNERS | OR | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Son Of Rest/Baron Bolt Dead-Heat | |||||||||
| 2017 | Donjuan Triumphant | 4 | 9-9 | 0391 | A Balding | PJ McDonald | 20 | 114 | 13/2 | |
| 2015 | Don’t Touch | 3 | 9-1 | 1111 | R A Fahey | T Hamilton | 25 | 102 | 6/1 | |
| 2014 | Louis The Pious | 6 | 9-4 | 201707 | D O’Meara | J Doyle | 27 | 104 | 10/1 | |
| 2013 | Highland Colori | 5 | 9-4 | 010631 | A M Balding | O Murphy | 26 | 99 | 20/1 | |
| 2012 | Captain Ramius | 6 | 9-0 | 41-7834 | K A Ryan | P J Smullen | 26 | 100 | 16/1 | |
| 2011 | Our Jonathan | 4 | 9-6 | 128562 | K A Ryan | F Norton | 26 | 105 | 11/1 | |
| 2010 | Redford | 5 | 9-2 | 920093 | D Nicholls | L Dettori | 26 | 97 | 14/1 | |
| 2009 | Jimmy Styles | 5 | 9-2 | 433 | C G Cox | L Dettori | 26 | 102 | 14/1 | |
| 2008 | Regal Parade | 4 | 9-1 | 130 | D Nicholls | W A Carson | 27 | 99 | 18/1 | |
| 2007 | Advanced | 4 | 9-9 | 720 | K A Ryan | J P Spencer | 28 | 109 | 20/1 | |
| 2006 | Fonthill Road | 6 | 9-2 | 009 | R A Fahey | P Hanagan | 23 | 97 | 16/1 | |
| 2005 | Presto Shinko | 4 | 9-2 | 711 | R Hannon | S Sanders | 27 | 98 | 12/1 | |
| 2004 | Funfair Wane | 5 | 8-6 | 060 | D Nicholls | P Doe | 24 | 90 | 33/1 | |
| 2003 | Quito | 6 | 8-6 | 344 | D W Chapman | A Culhane | 26 | 92 | 20/1 |
Can Buffer Zone be another well-backed winner for the Irish?
Irish raider Buffer Zone and Gulliver ( a best 11/2 and 8/1 respectively) finished first and third in another competitive big-field sprint handicap at the Curragh last week. Both appear to have stronger claims than most at Ayr. The winner carries a 5lb penalty so his recent rivals is 4lb better off and there shouldn’t be much between the pair this time.
At 25/1 with Bet365, GOOD EFFORT could be interesting. Ismail Mohammed’s colt produced a career-best run dropped to 6f at Newmarket last month. He was hampered when making a return visit to HQ for a Listed race and it always pays to have one on your side in this race that stays a bit further. His trainer has always had a high opinion of the four-year-old.
The Portland Handicap at Doncaster last week used to give good pointers for the Ayr Gold Cup. It’s influence has waned in recent years but Arecibo (a general 12/1) and the equally-consistent Embour ran well on Town Moor and the latter looks overpriced at a general 33/1.
Summerghand (11/1 with the sponsors) is another tough sprinter who doesn’t know how to run a bad race. But he’s just one of five David O’Meara entries with stable jockey Danny Tudhope on Arecibo. Intisaab (20/1 with William Hill) is now eight but has looked no back number this year, including last week at Doncaster, and should go well under promising 7lb claimer Angus Villiers.
Mr Lupton and Major Jumbo both have a touch of class and the last-named looks to be Kevin Ryan’s best hope of another Ayr Gold Cup triumph at a best 16/1.
William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Current Best Odds
Buffer Zone 11/2, Gulliver 8/1, Summerghand 11/1, Arecibo 12/1, Major Jumbo 16/1, Cold Stare, Mr Lupton, Intisaab, Justanotherbottle and Laugh A Minute 20/1, Air Raid, George Bowen, Good Effort, Hey Jonesy, Bacchus and Growl 25/1, Angel Alexander 28/1, Louie de Palma, Staxton, Embour and Stone Of Destiny 33/1, Barbill 40/1, Merhoob and Soldier’s Minute 50/1
(Odds correct at 3.00pm September 19)
