Euchen Glen primed for Doonside Cup bid
Jim Goldie’s star warms up for Ayr with huge win
Crystal ball gazing isn’t among my list of hobbies but maybe I’m going to have to resort to that pastime in a bid to unravel the conundrum that is the QTS Ayr Gold Cup.
To say this year’s renewal of the famous six furlong sprint is difficult is the understatement of the year.
Borrowing the lyrics from an old love song it’s a case of “Where do I begin…”
So let’s start with the two horses that currently head the betting at 12/ 1.
First of these is the David O’Meara rained Arecibo who did well in the race last year finishing eighth after missing the break.
He has been running mainly over five furlongs this season and was a well beaten second of five at Sandown last time out.
He holds an entry in Saturday’s Portland Handicap at Doncaster and I personally don’t think he’ll line up at Ayr.
Chil Chil, the other joint favourite, was a lukewarm fifth in a fillies’ handicap at Salisbury last Thursday and is best on quick ground which won’t be on the menu at Ayr a week on Saturday.
Of those on 14/ 1 none make any appeal but on 16/ 1 we find the Richard Fahey trained Mr Lupton who in the past has won in Listed and Group company and who will relish cut in the ground.
His most recent run came in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon where he finished third behind Staxton.
He holds an entry in a valuable sprint at the Curragh on Sunday but if he bypasses that he will be of interest in the QTS sponsored Gold Cup.
On 20/ 1 is Air Raid who I gave a mention to last week and Jedd O’Keefe’s five year- old won’t mind softish going but has raced only twice this season so there has to be a question mark there.
Mick Channon has a string of horses heading north for the Ayr Gold Cup Festival and if one of those is the recent Chester winner Barbill he will be on my short list for the Gold Cup.
The four year- old has form in the book on easy ground and appeals to me.
I will give you a full preview of the Festival and my idea of the Gold Cup 1- 2- 3- 4 in next week’s paper.
Finally this week big congratulations to breeder extraordinaire Mr William Johnstone whose seven year- old Euchen Glen won the Old Borough
Cup at Haydock on Saturday taking his winnings to more than £ 300,000.
This remarkable horse has battled back from a serious injury that kept him off course for almost two years.
He could line up in the Jordan Electrics Doonside Cup at Ayr on Saturday week before contesting a Champion’s Day race at Ascot in October.