Sepal seals Ayr triumph

● Jardine’s charge comes up trumps in final showdown

The best was kept for last at Ayr yesterday when the most impressive winner of the day came in the final race.

The Iain Jardine-trained Sepal was always travelling well under Joe Fanning in the Book For The William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Handicap over one mile two furlongs and justified her 7-2 joint favouritism by pulling clear and winning by six lengths from New Abbey Angel.

It was the second winner on the card for Fanning, who had earlier steered Chinese Spirit (10-1) to win the William Hill This Is More Handicap for trainer Mike Smith.

The feature race of the afternoon was the William Hill Proud To Support Scottish Sport Handicap and the 7-4 favourite Weekend Offender, under a fine Tom Eaves ride, asserted close home to win by a length and three quarters from Royal Regent.

Graham Lee was another jockey in double winning form riding Affina at odds of 3-1 to win the opening novice stakes for Newmarket trainer Simon Crisford and then following up on Alfie’s Angel, an 8-1 chance for the Bryan Smart yard in the six furlong handicap.

Trainer Garvan Donnelly who is based in Garristown, County Dublin trained his first-ever Ayr winner with Harry Speed (3-1 favourite) winning division two of the seven furlong handicap in the hands of Lewis Edmunds.

Ayr’s next meeting is the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Festival run from 21 to 23 September.

Entries close at noon today for the £200,000 William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.