Saturday, the 21st of September, sees Ayr host its biggest day of the flat season as the huge betting heat of the Ayr Gold Cup rolls into town once more. First run at the now defunct Belleisle racecourse in 1804, the race moved to Ayr in 1908 and has remained there ever since.
Run over a fast and furious 6f, the event has become so popular that an Ayr Silver Cup and Ayr Bronze Cup cater to those who don’t make the cut for the big one. A bumper 183 entries remained in the race at the 7-day stage, but with the final declarations made on Thursday morning, we now have the list of 25 runners and riders who will go for gold at 3:35pm on Saturday.
Ayr Gold Cup: Confirmed Field of Runners and Riders
| Number | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commanche Falls | Connor Beasley | Michael Dods |
| 2 | Northern Express | David Egan | Michael Dods |
| 3 | Ramazan | Oisin McSweeney | Richard Fahey |
| 4 | Korker | Jason Hart | Karl Burke |
| 5 | Orazio | Billy Loughnane | Charles Hills |
| 6 | Room Service | Tom Eaves | Kevin Ryan |
| 7 | Lethal Levi | Clifford Lee | Karl Burke |
| 8 | Jordan Electrics | Daniel Tudhope | Jim Goldie |
| 9 | Mostabshir | Jim Crowley | John & Thady Gosden |
| 10 | Silky Wilkie | Sam Feilden | Karl Burke |
| 11 | Fivethousandtoone | P J McDonald | Andrew Balding |
| 12 | Coachello | Callum Rodriguez | Mark Loughnane |
| 13 | Pilgrim | Joe Fanning | David & Nicola Barron |
| 14 | Glenfinnan | David Nolan | Michael Dods |
| 15 | Aleezdancer | Sean Levey | Kevin Ryan |
| 16 | American Affair | Paul Mulrennan | Jim Goldie |
| 17 | Rohaan | Tom Queally | David Evans |
| 18 | Billyjoh | Alistair Rawlinson | Michael Appleby |
| 19 | Aramis Grey | Callum Shepherd | Rae Guest |
| 20 | Dare To Hope | Connor Murtagh | Richard Fahey |
| 21 | Jehangeer | Shane Gray | Kevin Ryan |
| 22 | King’s Lynn | William Carver | Andrew Balding |
| 23 | Sergeant Wilko | Kevin Stott | Kevin Ryan |
| 24 | Strike Red | Billy Garritty | Richard Fahey |
| 25 | Tinto | Rhys Elliott | Michael Dods |
Highlights
The incredibly consistent American Affair heads the betting in most lists and goes for Kevin Ryan, who has lifted this prize on five occasions since 2007. This four-year-old son of Washington DC is yet to finish outside the first three in seven starts this season, with that excellent run of form seeing the gelding climb from a mark of 70 to 94. Coming with a late charge to land the Portland Handicap by a nose last weekend, he carries a 5lb penalty but is hard to dismiss in his current form.
Next in line is Richard Fahey’s Ramazan, who bids to shed his unwanted bridesmaid tag. Second in the 2023 edition of this, he has since filled the runners-up position on a further four occasions, including when run down close home in the Great St. Wilfred Handicap at Ripon last time. Beaten only a neck 12 months ago, he’s 5lb higher this time but should go well for Oisin McSweeney, who claims a valuable 3lb.
Ascot specialist Rohaan returns for another crack at the prize, having finished a close seventh in 2023. A nine-time winner at this distance, he has yet to hit top stride this season but posted his best effort yet when third in a slowly run event at Ascot earlier in the month. Now 8lb lower than in 2023 and sure to get a strong pace to aim at, he may be coming into form at just the right time.
Michael Appleby has enjoyed a fine time in the sprint division this year, thanks to the exploits of Annaf, Big Evs, and Big Mojo, and bids to claim this prize for the first time with the four-year-old Billyjoh. This son of Mayson has been kept busy since his debut in July 2023, squeezing in 21 starts in a little over a year. He doesn’t look obviously well handicapped off 96, but he did finish third off this mark in the hugely competitive Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood. The race didn’t go to plan at York last time, but better is expected here.
Adding to Jim Goldie’s strong hand is one of the most improved sprinters in training. Kicking off his season on a mark of 72, the eight-year-old Jordan Electrics has proven to be the definition of a late bloomer – winning seven of 12 starts and rising to an official rating of 101. Twice a winner over this course and distance, he ran a cracker to finish second in the Symphony Group Handicap at York on his most recent appearance and is another runner arriving right at the top of his game.
Classy sorts often go well in this event, making the John & Thady Gosden runner Mostabshir of interest. Rewind to summer 2023, and this Shadwell runner was lining up in the Group 1 St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Whilst no match for Paddington that day, he has now slipped to a mark 8lb below his career high and makes only his second start over 6f, having finished a close fourth in the Stewards Cup.
Another worth a look at a decent each-way price is the bang-in-form Sergeant Wilko, who adds to Kevin Ryan’s four-pronged assault. Making his debut in 2023, this three-year-old by Bungle Inthejungle showed some promise but won only one of six starts last term. His record in 2024 stands at four wins in five outings, including victory in each of his last three. He carries a 5lb penalty for his latest success but may have further progress in him as one of the more lightly raced runners in the field.
