Son Of Rest’s weight boost
Stack’s charge escapes 10lb hike for Ayr Gold Cup
Fozzy Stack hopes the handicapper is right ahead of Son Of Rest’s bid for glory in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.
A close second in Group One company last weekend, he drops back down into supposedly calmer waters. Because he pushed Havana Grey so close in the Flying Five, the handicapper raised him 10lb but he gets to run off his old mark as the prestigious handicap is an early-closing race.
Despite the storm, Stack reported that Son Of Rest got to Ayrshire without a hiccup. Stack said: “He got there at 8pm on Thursday, I’m pleased to say. Now all we have to hope for is that the handicapper is right and that he is 10lb well-in.
“It was five furlongs last week and he finished strong, the ground can’t be soft enough for him and he stayed six furlongs as a two-year-old.”
Fellow Irish raider G Force is back for another crack, having finished fourth in 2016.
Trainer Adrian Keatley said: “We’re happy enough with the draw [23] and we’re happy with the way the ground is. We wouldn’t even mind a bit more rain. Some of his form from earlier in the year with horses like Son Of Rest would give him a good chance.
“He hasn’t had any issues. The only reason he hasn’t run in a while is because he can’t handle quick ground. This race has been the long-term plan and we’re looking forward to it.”
David Barron’s Gunmetal has won three from five since joining from Charlie Hills and turned the Great St Wilfrid into a procession last time out.
“I think we’ll all be a bit wiser about the draw come Saturday afternoon. There looks to be a few fancied ones around us, so we’ll see,” said Barron.
“The horse seems in very good form. We’re very happy with him. I’m petrified about the ground. He has some very good form on fast ground and if he can do the same on heavy ground he must be some horse. This will probably be his last run of the season, so we’ll give it a go and see what happens.”
Justanotherbottle was agonisingly beaten in photo in the Stewards’ Cup, but Declan Carroll is another worried about the ground somewhat.
“It’s an unfashionable draw [25], but we’ll just have to wait and see how it works out. We’ll have a better idea after the Bronze and Silver Cups have been run, I suppose.
“He’s in great form and we’ll take our chance despite the ground. It wouldn’t be his favourite surface, but he hasn’t been on it much and ran all right on it at Doncaster early in the year, when it was really soft and our horses weren’t in the form they are in now.
“There wouldn’t be that much for him left if we didn’t run, especially with the money on offer.”
He added: “It’s a step into the unknown with the ground, but he’s in good order and he ran well at York last time.”