Pepper Lane among 27 for Ayr Gold Cup

Leading ante-post fancies Pepper Lane and Mac’s Power feature among the maximum field of 27 declared runners for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup tomorrow.

The David O’Meara-trained Pepper Lane is bidding to win her second prestigious sprint handicap in succession having impressed in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon on her latest appearance.

As one of the last out of the hat in the live draw, which took place at the track, Pepper Lane will break from stall 11. James Fanshawe’s Mac’s Power has failed to win so far in 2011 but has turned in a number of admirable efforts in defeat, most notably placing third behind top-class sprinter Hoof It in the Stewards’ Cup. Fanshawe chose stall eight. Dual Group One hero and 2008 winner of this race Regal Parade is one of two runners along with Tajneed representing “sprint king” David Nicholls, who has saddled six previous winners of this event. Regal Parade was the first horse out of the hat and Nicholls set a trend by going high, opting for stall 27, with Tajneed in stall 21.

Roman Warrior was the last Scottish-trained winner back in 1975 and the main hope for the home nation this time around is Jim Goldie’s Hawkeyethenoo (20). Richard Fahey is mob-handed, with top-weight Majestic Myles (10) joined by stable companions Mayson (5), Castles In The Air (1), Kaldoun Kingdom (4) and the last horse to make the cut – Brave Prospector (3).

On the first day of the Gold Cup meeting yesterday, Keith Dalgleish’s Hinton Admiral (28-1) led his rivals a merry dance in the Brewin Dolphin Investment Management Handicap, giving jockey Joe Fanning his first winner since returning from injury. Farang Kondiew got favourite-backers off to a winning start on the opening day of Ayr’s Western meeting with a decisive victory in the Fly Ryanair Maiden Auction Stakes, while positive tactics also paid off for the long-striding 7-4 favourite Storming Bernard in the EBF Novice Stakes.