William Hill Ayr Gold Cup
Heritage Handicap, Ayr 15:50
£160,000 added,
3yo plus,
6f, Class 2
Saturday 20th September 2014

1 Louis the Pious 10/1
2 Minalisa 33/1
3 Blaine 7/1F
4 Heaven's Guest 12/1
5 Fast Shot 20/1
27 ran Distances: 2¾l, hd, nk
TIME 1m 9.53s (fast by 0.47s)

Louis the Pious wins the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup to land a really significant gamble and a wonderful James Doyle treble!

James Doyle tells Rishi: "It's the first time I've been here for seven or eight years. What can I say? Golden highway up the rail"

David O'Meara, trainer of Louis The Pious: "We put the visor on, we felt it might help him. When things go right for him, he's very good."

Louis the Pious
© Racehorse Photos

Louis the Pious
Louis The Pious went one better than 12 months ago when storming home in the feature race at the Scottish track.

James Doyle, who was completing a treble on the day, grabbed the favoured near-side rail to lead inside the final furlong to put the race to bed within a matter of strides.

Louis The Pious (10-1), trained by David O'Meara, struck from stall 19 as he routed the opposition by two and three-quarter lengths.

Minalisa (33-1), who raced on the far side, was second, with Blaine (7-1 favourite) another head away in third. Heaven's Guest (12-1) fourth.

Doyle said: "It was a golden highway up that rail, but I can't take any credit. David and his team have done a fantastic job with this lad.

"In the end, I've probably won by a bit too far.

"These races are pretty valuable and it's an important part of the season to win a few of these.

"It's a dream come true."

O'Meara said: "He was drawn well again this year and he is a good horse.

"We put the visor on him because Fran Berry rode him the last day at Ascot and thought it might just help him a little bit, and he was right.

"He's a horse with a lot of ability. Sometimes he can run an indifferent kind of race but on his day he's very good, as we saw at Royal Ascot. These big-field handicaps bring the best out of him."

Louis The Pious is owned by Frank Gillespie, who has already had a golden season this year courtesy of the exploits of The Grey Gatsby.

Trainers Quotes

William Hill Ayr Gold Cup (Heritage Handicap)
£160,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 2
27 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places

  Dr Dist Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer
1st (19) Louis The Pious 10/1
James Doyle
9-4 D O'Meara
2nd (2) Minalisa 33/1
F M Berry
9-1 Rae Guest
3rd (26) hd Blaine 7/1F
Amy Ryan
9-4 K A Ryan
4th (24) nk Heaven's Guest (IRE) 12/1
Samantha Bell (5)
9-5 R A Fahey
5th (25) hd Fast Shot 20/1
Rachel Richardson (7)
8-10 T D Easterby
6th (1) hd Ruwaiyan (USA) 33/1
D Allan
9-3 J Tate
7th (23) ¾ An Saighdiur (IRE) 20/1
W J Lee
9-3 A Slattery
8th (4) s.h Jack Dexter 20/1
G Lee
9-10 J S Goldie
9th (18) nse Highland Acclaim (IRE) 10/1
Sam James (3)
8-10 D O'Meara
10th (20) ½ Ballesteros 25/1
F Norton
8-11 R A Fahey
11th (16) 1 Hawkeye-thenoo (IRE) 16/1
G Bartley (3)
9-0 J S Goldie
12th (5) ½ Watchable (ex5) 9/1
D Tudhope
9-3 D O'Meara
13th (27) s.h Racy 20/1
P Pickard
9-0 B Ellison
14th (17) nse Barnet Fair 20/1
Cam Hardie (5)
8-10 D Nicholls
15th (22) ½ Supplicant 12/1
George Chaloner (3)
8-10 R A Fahey
16th (8) nk Captain Ramius (IRE) 50/1
F Lynch
8-12 K A Ryan
17th (6) hd Hamza (IRE) 20/1
P J Smullen
9-8 K A Ryan
18th (14) nk Go Far (ex5) 16/1
Martin Harley
8-13 A Bailey
19th (13) hd Rene Mathis (GER) 25/1
D Nolan
9-0 R A Fahey
20th (15) Mass Rally (IRE) 25/1
P McDonald
9-5 M Dods
21st (12) nk Jimmy Styles 50/1
Ryan Tate (3)
9-1 C G Cox
22nd (10) nk Duke Of Firenze 33/1
R Kingscote
8-11 R M H Cowell
23rd (9) Ashpan Sam 33/1
P Makin
9-3 J L Spearing
24th (3) ½ Burn The Boats (IRE) 28/1
C T Keane
8-11 G M Lyons
25th (21) ¾ York Glory (USA) 25/1
D P McDonogh
9-0 K A Ryan
26th (7) ½ Alben Star (IRE) 16/1
Jack Garritty (5)
9-9 R A Fahey
27th (11) Eastern Impact (IRE) 20/1
T Hamilton
9-3 R A Fahey

Mathematician Betting