It’s Ayr Gold Cup Day on Saturday and the Scottish track hosts a superb eight-race card (1.20pm-5.25pm) with some hugely competitive sprints to savour.
You can watch all the action from Ayr – as well as every UK and Irish race – via live streaming when logged into MansionBet.
Our tipster has selections for all the action from Scotland below.
1.20 – Microtech Group EBF Nursery (1m)
Pythagoras and Longlai have solid enough claims, though the latter has been slapped with a 12lb hike for winning easily at Ripon earlier in the month and so preference is for Andrew Balding’s RECOVERY RUN. The form of last month’s Sandown win has been franked by the runner-up scoring twice since including a decent Doncaster nursery last weekend. He’s run well on the AW at Kempton since and may make it 2-2 on turf.
Tip: Recovery Run @ 4/1
1.55 – Jordan Electrics Doonside Cup Stakes (Listed, 1m2f)
Dual Group 1 winner ADDEYBB may well be up to conceding a penalty to these rivals. The William Haggas-trained six-year-old is a rock solid conveyance and was second in a Royal Ascot Group 1 on his only British start this year having won twice at highest level in Australia previously.
Tip: Addeybb @ 6/4
2.30 – QTS Ayr Silver Cup Handicap (6f)
The consolation race for the Ayr Gold Cup and King’s Lynn is one that stands out on paper. He’s unexposed and shaped nicely on his return at Doncaster recently despite failing to justify odds-on favouritism. An opening mark of 94 is within his range but ATALANTA’s BOY is better value. Things conspired against him in the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood but he recorded a pleasing success back there last month and looks capable of further progress.
Tip: Atalanta’s Boy @ 9/1
3.05 – Scotty Brand Firth Of Clyde Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3, 6f)
Mamba Wamba is one that might progress again to run a big race at a decent price but it’s hard to get away from UMM KULTHUM on the strength of her placed effort in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes. She didn’t get the best of starts at York but finished well to be third and that form is very strong, with runner-up Sacred only just foiled in the Flying Childers at Doncaster last week.
Tip: Umm Kulthum @ 2/1
3.40 – QTS Ayr Gold Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap, 6f)
Goodwood didn’t seem to be to the liking of NAHAARR in the Stewards’ Cup but that can easily be forgiven as it’s a quirky track. His earlier form belied an improving sprinter and he can showcase that on this wide track for the Haggas and Marquand partnership. Spanish City has shaped well in both 6f runs this summer and with Ray Dawson in such good form and taking 5lb off, he’s an each-way player for a Roger Varian team that typically does well with limited runners at Ayr.
Tip: Spanish City (each-way) @ 18/1
4.15 – Luxury Staycations At Western House Hotel Handicap (1m)
He’s only been beaten once in four starts this summer and the winner of that Haydock race has advertised the form strongly since, so Brunch has to go on any shortlist despite his latest rise in the ratings for winning at York last month. IRREVERENT looked to be calling for a more exacting test at Leicester 12 days ago however and Richard Fahey’s contender should get that now.
Tip: Irreverent
4.50 – Brandinghub Signs & Print Handicap (1m5f)
Make My Day didn’t last home over an extended two-miles at York in July but could easily bounce back down in distance here. He is respected for another trainer that does well at Ayr from limited runners but the vote goes to GOOBINATOR. He’s unexposed on the Flat and was never out of the first two in four hurdles runs last season after landing a 1m4f Southwell maiden on the all-weather. He’s undergone a wind op since and Donald McCain has secured an excellent ally in Paul Mulrennan for this first handicap start.
Tip: Goobinator
5.25 – Download The Gribbens Taxi App Now Handicap (7f)
The hat-trick seeking Harrison Point commands plenty respect under the champion jockey having supplemented his C&D win in July with success at Beverley next time out. There’s not much between him and Newmarket scorer Ascension on paper. NATIONAL LEAGUE is yet to win in 2020 but he caught the eye behind a pair of unexposed rivals at Doncaster last time and might be able to put things together now.
Tip: National League.
*All odds correct at time of writing