Hawkeyethenoo handed Gold Cup middle ground

Hawkeyethenoo will have a choice of going high or low from his stall 16 berth as he attempts to become the first Scottish winner of the Ayr Gold Cup since Roman Warrior, 35 years ago.

Jim Goldie was not disheartened by the draw for Hawkeyethenoo in tomorrow's William Hill-sponsored sprint, despite him being in the middle. "I was hoping we didn't come out too early as then you've got plenty of options," Goldie told Racing UK.

"Normally the stands' side is the place to be after two days racing, but Jimmy Styles came out of 15 last year and from somewhere like that you can go either side. He's a hold-up horse and hopefully we'll get a trouble-free passage. I did debate whether to pick 12 but Dandy Nicholls seems to have preferred the high numbers and he's usually got plenty of pace. The race might develop stands' side, but we can go either or. I'll have a talk with Ted (Durcan) about how the race might develop."

Ante-post fancies Definightly and Irish Heartbeat missed the cut and will instead line up in the consolation race. Henry Candy's Signor Peltro was first out of the hat, with Candy instructing his representative to go for stall 22. Nicholls had two of his out early with Victoire De Lyphar going from stall 24 and Evens And Odds placed in stall 21.

Hitchens was another out early with Barron bucking the trend and going for stall eight with stablemate Flipando in stall 26, giving the handler one on each side of the track.

David Marnane's Partner will go from stall six while Jimmy Styles will break from 14, one away from last year's winning stall 15.

The favourite, Poet's Place, was last out of the hat and will break from stall 12, although trainer David Barron was not concerned that he had no say in the draw.

"I don't think it matters and it isn't my fault," said the Thirsk trainer.

"He's been good and he came home from Doncaster fine. He's going for another big race just seven days on but everything at home says that he's fine. I think he goes on any ground.

When he was second up at Newcastle, that was rattling-fast ground when he was beaten by Jonny Mudball."

Johnny Mudball was one of the big movers in the market yesterday, as punters backed him in from 14-1 to 10-1.

At Ayr today, Hazelrigg is deserving of the nap in light of decent form of late and should have enough to win the Bam Properties Handicap.

lMichael Hills paid tribute to star sprinter Equiano, who has been retired following a disappointing performance in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

The dual King's Stand Stakes hero was strongly fancied for last month's Group 1 sprint at York after finishing second in the July Cup only to trail in last.

Connections of the Barry Hills-trained five-year-old have decided to call time on his career which began in Spain with Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez for whom he won his first King's Stand.

"His season has been absolutely fantastic, but his Nunthorpe run didn't really show his form and he came home and has not shown anything since," said the jockey.