Horse racing: Ayr fence is burnt down

The obstacle was burnt down last month and although a portable replacement has been purchased, the affected area is not safe. “Unfortunately the fence was burnt down last month. Petrol and scorched turf got on the ground so we had to dig it out and re-turf it,” said clerk of the course Emma Marley.

“That’s why we are having to bypass the area. We have purchased a portable fence to go in its place, but it’s just too new ground and too wet to get it on.

“Hopefully in the New Year we will be jumping every fence. We’ll play it by ear and see how the ground settles, but the fact we had to dig out a static fence that was burnt down and replace the ground is why it’s not feasible to race on that area.

“Being a city track and having housing estates around, we do suffer a bit of vandalism. It’s poor timing really.”

Meanwhile, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream failed to sparkle yesterday as she finished a well-beaten sixth behind Buena Vista in the Japan Cup at Tokyo.

Peter Schiergen’s charge was much fancied for the 12-furlong Grade One but, after settling in the pack early on, she had nothing extra to give in the straight.

Andrasch Starke launched his challenge down the middle of the track but Danedream just could not pick up in the same style as she had done at Longchamp. That left the local runners to fight out the finish as Tosen Jordan, who had been prominent throughout, made an early break for home.

However, Yasunari Iwata was making swift progress as Buena Vista set off in pursuit and she threw down her challenge around a furlong out. The pair battled it out in the final few yards but Buena Vista edged it for trainer Hiroyoshi Matsuda, with Jaguar Mail in third.

Buena Vista’s win offered some compensation for last year’s misfortune in the race when the five-year-old mare was first past the post only to be disqualified for causing minor interference.

On Saturday, Carruthers led from start to finish to win an emotional Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Representing a little-known trainer and jockey combination in Mark Bradstock and Mattie Batchelor, all that was missing from the winner’s enclosure was his breeder and part-owner Lord Oaksey, who is not in the best of health. Star turn elsewhere on the card was undoubtedly Big Buck’s, as he registered a record-equalling 13th successive victory in cruising home in the Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle.

At Newcastle, the gallant Overturn made turf history and could have another crack at the Stanjames.com Champion Hurdle. The seven-year-old became the first horse to win the North East track’s two big races in their calendar, the Northumberland Plate on the Flat in 2010 and the Stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle, when landing the latter on Saturday.

He defeated 2010 Champion Hurdle hero Binocular for his latest success and may have just one more race before going for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival, in which he was seventh in March. “It was absolutely fantastic. When you think he can’t do it any more, he goes and does it again. He’s a wonderful horse to have,” said trainer Donald McCain. “He’s as tough as nails and you wouldn’t know he’d had a race this morning.

“When you’re talking about Sea Pigeon and those sort of horses, it’s a huge feather in his cap to win those two races. He won’t be running for a while and we’ve got to decide what we do. I’d have thought we’d go back for the Champion Hurdle as he does seem to have improved again this time.

“What we do between now and then, we will have to play it by ear.”