Regal Parade looks ready to reign again in Ayr showpiece

Regal PARADE can create his own piece of racing history by reclaiming the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup four years after he last won it.

With testing ground assured, a horse who stays further than the six furlongs of this race is likely to be on the premises.

Even without ground as soft as this stamina is quite crucial in an Ayr Gold Cup winner, given they go flat out from an early stage. Regal Parade, Redford, Advanced and Our Jonathan had all shown comparable form over seven furlongs before landing the showpiece.

The selection was one of Dandy Nicholls’ six winners but he is now trained by Milton Bradley, who not too long ago had a reputation to match Nicholls as the king of the sprint trainers.

He is now eight, which is a little old for a winner of this race, but he has shown on more than one occasion this season that he retains most of his ability.

Let us not forget that after winning this race in 2008 he won the Haydock Sprint Cup the following season, so even if he is on the downgrade, he would still have a chance in a handicap.

In fact his last win was in another Group One, the Prix Maurice de Gheest. Having run a couple of decent races for Nicholls in Dubai he joined Bradley on his return and was beaten only three-quarters of a length by Our Jonathan at Haydock off level weights. He will be getting 6lb this time.

Fourth in his group in the Great St Wilfrid, the first-time tongue tie saw him push the smart Night Carnation close last time out and he can go well at a big price.