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Ayr Gold Cup  

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Record Entry for William Hill Ayr Gold Cup
23/08/11

A record 241 horses have entered for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup at Ayr Racecourse on Saturday September 17.

Hoof It
© Racehorse Photos

Hoof It

Headed by a host of quality sprinters including Mick Easterby's Hoof It, recent York winner Doncaster Rover from the David Brown yard, the Richard Fahey pair Majestic Myles and Mayson and Jim Goldie's Hawkeyethenoo, the eventual 27 runner field should ooze class.

David Nicholls, who has saddled 6 winners from the last 11 runnings of the race including last year's victor Redford, has 28 entries and there are also previous winners entered in Advanced (2007), Regal Parade (2008) and Jimmy Styles (2009).

Sponsors William Hill have installed the James Fanshawe trained Macs Power as 12/1 favourite with Hoof It, David O'Meara's Pepper Lane and Kanaaf from Ed Dunlop's yard all at 14/1.

Jockeys expected to be in action on the day include Frankie Dettori, successful in 2009 on Regal Parade and on Redford last year, current champion jockey Paul Hanagan, Silvestre de Sousa and Jamie Spencer.

The entry beats last year's then record of 207 and Ayr Racecourse Sales and Marketing Manager Lindsey Smith commented : “This shows the standing in which the race is held within the racing industry.

“To have the quantity and quality of entries that we have is fantastic for the race and for the sponsors. We look forward to another great William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.”

The William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Festival runs from Thursday September 15 until Saturday September 17. For more information and details of discounts on advance bookings go on line at www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk or call 01292 264179.

 

WILLIAM HILL (AYR) GOLD CUP FACTS

  • The first two runnings of the Ayr Gold Cup in 1804 and 1805 were won by Chancellor, owned by the Marquess of Ailsa
  • Dazzle won the race three times in the 1870s it was owned by the Duke of Montrose.
  • The first Ayr Gold Cup was run over a distance of two miles and the race was still run over one mile three furlongs until 1907 when it was changed to six furlongs.
  • The reason for the change in distance was that the Duke of Montrose wanted his horse Raeberry to have a better chance of winning the race.
  • The Duke's plans were scuppered when Charis won the race, the first time it had been run on the current course.
  • Trainer Jack Jarvis won the race three times in a row – twice before the Second World War and once after it.
  • The Peter O'Sullevan owned Be Friendly won the race in 1967 as a three year old.
  • Neither Lester Piggott or Willie Carson rode a winner in the race although Willie's grandson William Carson rode Regal Parade to win in 2008.
  • The last Scottish trained winner of the race was Roman Warrior in 1975, trained by Nigel Angus at Cree Lodge, Ayr and ridden by Johnny Seagrave.
  • Nigel had previously won the race with Swinging Junior, ridden by Hamilton-born apprentice Richard Hutchison who now drives a black cab in Ayr.
  • The Ayr Gold Cup is the richest sprint handicap in Europe with £150,000 in prizemoney
  • It is the top 5 races for Betting Turnover.
  • More than 900,000 viewers tune in to Channel 4's coverage of the race.
  • William Hill (Ayr) Gold Cup Saturday boasts the biggest attendance of any flat race meeting in Scotland – 2010 attendance expected to be in excess of 12,000.
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