The Ayr Gold Cup is a race we all look forward to every year.
On the calendar since 1804, this is a truly historic race. Thousands will attend from Ayrshire and from in and around Glasgow to see a race that is one of the biggest betting events of the whole season.
There’s £180,000 in prize money to fight for here, but many millions more will be wagered. Around the country but especially for those witnessing on course, the Ayr Gold Cup is a lot like a quicker, flatter Grand National.
Finding the winner is usually tough. Backing a single horse to win a race such as this is usually not a great idea. It’s wiser to split the stakes and get a couple of them on your side at bigger prices.
Form, ability and pedigree are all in the bag but come Saturday there will still be the draw to consider as well as any changes in weather and ground conditions. Those outside the top 25 will be hoping some horses drop out to avoid going into the Silver Cup too.
We’re taking a look at some of the top contenders before making a judgement.
Albasheer (9/1)
| Trainer | Age | Weight (st-lbs) | Wins/Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archie Watson | 6 | 9-7 | 5/27 |
Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle are a most competent pair and their Albasheer has been sitting at the top of the ante-post market for this race as a general 9/1 shot.
A six-year-old now who is potentially still improving, Albasheer is fancied on the basis of his unlucky fourth in the Portland Handicap just a week ago at Doncaster.
On the plus side, he can be treated almost like a winner in this race off just a 2lb higher mark. On the downside, that doesn’t guarantee winning what is an even more competitive event here and he has to run again very quickly after a big effort at Donny.
Billyjoh (10/1)
| Trainer | Age | Weight (st-lbs) | Wins/Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Appleby | 4 | 9-1 | 4/9 |
Four-year-old Billyjoh has had a busy time but there may still be more to come and that’s reflected in his price (around 10/1).
Michael Appleby has had a wonderful year, and it would be no surprise to see him score at Ayr. A rating of 95 is probably not the ceiling of Billyjoh’s ability, though he has been running well without winning for a long time.
Mostabshir (10/1)
| Trainer | Age | Weight (st-lbs) | Wins/Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| John & Thady Gosden | 4 | 9-5 | 2/12 |
Shadwell’s Mostabshir, trained by John and Thady Gosden, is a very interesting type.
Last season he romped away with a strong novice race at York before being thrown into Group 1 company. True, he didn’t hack it there, but it also transpired that he wasn’t a miler and that sent the team back to the drawing board.
A strong third at Kempton behind Mount Athos, a good fourth at Royal Ascot and another one in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood have shown him in a better light this year and, as a four-year-old with a top pedigree, there is undoubtedly more to come. He’s around 10/1 in advance of the final declarations.
Wiltshire (12/1)
| Trainer | Age | Weight (st-lbs) | Wins/Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Haggas | 4 | 9-6 | 4/9 |
On Northumberland Plate Day, Montassib won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes under Cieren Fallon for William Haggas. Taking advantage of the Tapeta form being forever undervalued, he scored at a huge 25/1 next time in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock.
Moments before his victory at Gosforth Park, the same trainer-jockey combo won another six-furlong event with Wiltshire and history could be about to repeat itself.
Based on various factors, Wiltshire has not been handed then handicap mark he should have been for an impressive, comfortable win at Newcastle. Furthermore, he is a big improver who has been left off the track 84 days and that means we can see a much better version on Saturday.
He has a huge chance and is 12/1 across the board at the time of writing.
Significantly (16/1)
| Trainer | Age | Weight (st-lbs) | Wins/Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Camacho | 6 | 9-8 | 5/34 |
Significantly is guaranteed a run for Julie Camacho and should go well. Prices ranging from 16/1 to 20/1 ante-post are tempting and it’s well worth noting that the six-year-old comes into this pretty fresh.
A second run of the spring saw him reach a good level, and now having run 13 days ago he should be spot-on for the day.
As well as this bunch, it’s worth mentioning Pilgrim, Ramazan and Sergeant Wilko who all have fine profiles and can each run with great credit on the day.
Who to Back for the Ayr Gold Cup
Albasheer no doubt has a chance in this race and it’s easy to see why he has been the ante-post favourite. Odds of 9/1 are a little short though. He could be much shorter on the day if the public get behind him too, while he’s hardly well clear of the pack as far as we’re concerned.
There is still loads of potential in Mostabshir, if sprinting is truly to be his game, and especially Wiltshire. The last-named could prove to be the most progressive and best-handicapped horse in this race and is certainly worth backing at around 12/1, along with his Newmarket pal at around 10’s.
2024 Ayr Gold Cup bets:
- Mostabshir (each-way)
- Wiltshire (each-way)