Racing: Goldie left feeling low in Ayr Gold Cup bid

Published on 21/09/2012 02:44

JIM Goldie did not have the luck of the draw yesterday, as his William Hill Ayr Gold Cup hope Hawkeyethenoo was the last of the 27 runners to be pulled out the hat for tomorrow’s big race by former Scotland manager Alex McLeish – leaving him stall three in his bid to keep the trophy in Scotland.

It has been 37 years since the winner of the major six-furlong handicap was trained north of the Border and Jim Goldie’s Hawkeyethenoo has had no luck in two previous attempts. He has been the subject of support in recent days as he aims to repeat his heroics of last month’s Stewards’ Cup but Goldie had no option with his starting position after high numbers proved popular among those chosen first.

Goldie had no quibbles about his position and said: “No-one can blame me this time, it doesn’t matter. I had a mind to go where Borderlescott was anyway, as he’s an obvious pace angle. If they had raced today, they would have absolutely ‘puddinged’ the ground, and if there’s a dry day on Friday and Saturday it might go back to soft ground by the race.”

Kevin Ryan’s Our Jonathan, the winner 12 months ago, has been backed down to 10-1 favourite and he will break from stall number 12. Another leading fancy is Doc Hay (five), who won the Portland at Doncaster last weekend, while old stager Borderlescott was drawn one.

A full field of set to line up provided the coastal track can survive the downpour which put paid to the opening day of the Western meeting. A morning inspection is planned today to see if the second day of the meeting can survive,

Yesterday’s abandonment was unavoidable as rain lashed the course, and officials will hope the middle day can be salvaged. Officials at Ayr reported standing water on several areas of the track yesterday and acting clerk of the course Harriet Graham swas in contact with the Met Office and was hopeful of an improvement.

“We do need it to be dry overnight and tomorrow morning and if the forecast is right we’ll be okay, but we’ll look at 6.30am and if we need to look again later in the morning we will,” she said ahead of this morning’s planned inspection.

Gold Cup day is the jewel in the crown of Ayr’s Flat fixtures and every effort will be made to make sure the show can go on tomorrow – with many of the trainers represented at yesterday’s draw keeping a close eye on developments.

Irish raider Maarek is the top-weight, under a 5lb penalty for winning a Group Three at the Curragh last weekend. David Nagle’s runner came second out of the hat and races from 13.

Dandy Nicholls, six times successful in the race, fields Rodrigo de Torres (stall 27) and the joint-second from top in the weights, Beacon Lodge (nine), while Richard Fahey’s Johannes (10) was the last to make the cut. The 2008 winner Regal Parade was drawn 19.

The five taken out at declaration stage were Fulbright, Imperial Guest, Dubawi Sound, Bajan Tryst and Move In Time. The race is likely to be the last time British fans get a chance to see Robin Bastiman’s remarkable ten-year-old Borderlescott in action. Amazingly, the gelding was second in the 2006 Ayr Gold Cup before going on to take two Nunthorpes, and he showed he was not quite finished yet when winning the Listed Beverley Bullet Stakes on September 1.

Part-owner James Edgar said: “I hoped he’d be out (drawn) earlier! This is probably his second-last race. After Saturday there’s nothing else for him apart from the Prix de l’Abbaye, so we’ll take him there and have a good day out.”

SELECTIONS

Ayr

1.50 Anna’s Pearl

2.20 Zoola

2.50 Majestic Moon

3.25 Trail Blaze

4.00 Midnight Dynamo

4.30 Cosimo De Medici

5.10 Dance For Georgie

Brighton

12.00 Silver Bullitt

12.30 Al Emirati

1.00 Konstantin

1.30 Silke Top

2.05 Lutine Charlie

2.35 Gabrial The Boss

Lingfield

2.10 Kashmiri Star

2.40 Caramel Sundae

3.15 Blazing Knight

3.50 Havin’ A 
 Good Time

4.25 Peachez

5.00 English Summer

5.35 Variety Show

Newbury

1.25 Homage

2.00 Secondo

2.30 Novirak

3.05 Grandeur

3.40 Altruism (nap)

4.15 Lanansaak

4.50 Edinburgh Knight

5.20 Henry Clay

Wolverhampton

5.30 Clement

6.00 Pravda Street

6.30 Midnight Flower

7.00 Smalljohn

7.30 Fairest

8.00 Footstepsofspring

8.30 Shawka

9.00 Maz