Just one day after City Of Troy came to Southwell Racecourse, British racing fans turn their eyes further north to Scotland for Ayr Gold Cup Day.
The column had one good day last week for the St Leger meeting, but Sunday’s bets didn’t produce anywhere near what I had hoped.
It was a bad day, so many apologies, but there’s hope for some better results today.
1:30 Newbury – Relief Rally @ 4/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
My William Haggas bunting and scarves will be out in full flow today (see later), but I’m starting my fandom for the yard with Relief Rally in the Newbury opener.
Today is her first run for 126 days, which is a worry, but she ran with credit over too far on her seasonal reappearance as well as winning on debut as a two-year-old, so there’s scope to suggest she’s ready for today.
👑 Today is the day for Relief Rally
He slams his rivals in the £250,000 @weatherbysltd Super Sprint with a brilliant display for @TomMarquand, William Haggas, @simon_munir & Isaac Souede at @NewburyRacing pic.twitter.com/CjTSciUmkf
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2023
Speaking of that seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes, the contest produced the 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka, so it was a fine effort.
On her next start, take Elite Status out of the picture and Relief Rally wins like a good horse, but it just so happened that a Group 1 horse (who went on to win the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes) finished ahead of her.
Adaay In Devon, the third, won a Listed race on her next start and placed behind the subsequent Group 1 Sprint Cup fifth Flora Of Bermuda in the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York.
She’s a horse I’ve always liked, and today looks like a good chance to get her first win in over a year.
1:50 Ayr – Caviar Heights @ 9/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and the Doonside Cup have gone hand-in-hand over the last four years. His record is two winners and two thirds, two of which went off favourite and one (Royal Champion, 2022) won at 9/4.
That’s a good omen for Caviar Heights who looks to have the ability to bounce back to his best.
His best run to date is his four-length success in the Listed Newmarket Stakes in May when he beat Sayedaty Sadaty, a horse who went on to finish fifth in the Epsom Derby and third in the Gordon Stakes.
Sea The Stars colt Caviar Heights stays on powerfully to win the Listed @WilliamHill Newmarket Stakes @NewmarketRace for the in-form @karl_burke and @CliffordleexLee 🏇@WillHillRacing pic.twitter.com/VmmQvncw7w
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 3, 2024
The Gordon Stakes looks like good form as the winner, Jan Brueghel, won the St Leger on his latest start and the second, Bellum Justum, won the Grade 3 Nashville Derby Stakes next time out.
Bringing it back to the Newmarket Stakes, the performance was visually pleasing and the look across from Clifford Lee to the hard-working Oisin Murphy three furlongs from home lives rent-free inside my head.
His three subsequent runs give cause for concern, but he was too keen for his own good on his last two starts, so I can excuse him for the efforts.
Although he has a three-pound penalty to shoulder, he gets weight from his elders, and I believe he has a good engine underneath the bonnet.
2:40 Newbury – Whip Cracker @ 11/2 with BetVictor – 1pt Win
The recent rain over the last 24 hours has made today’s Newbury ground slow, something that should suit Whip Cracker.
The Cracksman three-year-old is running for the first time after his gelding operation and, having looked keen on a few starts so far this season, this looks like a good mood.
Despite this characteristic, the 160,000gns purchase finished second in the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April, a race won by Jayarebe with Caviar Heights in third and Ambiente Friendly in fourth.
That form is good as Jayarebe won the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes before running into Economics in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, Caviar Heights won the Listed Newmarket Stakes next time out, and Ambiente Friendly has placed in two Group 1s since.
Out of the Sea The Moon mare Wonderhorse, his dam is a half-sister to Advanced, who has his best form in softer conditions, and Wunder, a Group 1-placed mare in Germany.
On his second start in a handicap and on the back of a 93-day break, he is very interesting here.
3:00 Ayr – Sky Majesty @ 5/2 with BoyleSports – 1pt Win
I liked what Sky Majesty did on debut at Newbury for William Haggas, Tony Bloom, and Ian McAleavy, and the form is already working out well.
The second, Hold A Dream, won a Yarmouth novice three days ago and the third, Glamour Show, is a horse who has solid form in the 80s.
Sky Majesty rockets home! 🚀
It's a winning debut for this @WilliamHaggas-trained filly, quickening up to deny Hold A Dream right at the line under @TomMarquand… pic.twitter.com/3zHhgbyWzt
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 29, 2024
For a debut performance, she quickened away nicely under Tom Marquand and all it took was a hands-and-heels ride to secure success.
By Blue Point out of the Bushranger mare Majestic Alexander, he is a half-brother to the Listed winner Democracy Dilemma and Ayr Gold Cup winner Angel Alexander, so the pedigree is there also.
Haggas has a 25% strike rate at Ayr, and this is his only runner, so let’s hope that the 750-mile round trip is worth it.
3:15 Newbury – Billboard Star @ 18/1 with Bet365 (2 places) – 1pt EW
Since the middle of this season, I’ve banged on about how Billboard Star has experienced plenty of trouble at crucial times, so I’m hoping for less of that today.
Having chased home the subsequent Group 1 winner Whistlejacket in the July Stakes at Newmarket, a race that has worked out well as Aomori City won the Group 2 Vintage Stakes on his next start, he finished fourth in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes next time out.
The market KNEW! 👀
Whistlejacket justifies strong confidence in the betting by running riot in the Group 2 @BahrainTurfClub July Stakes 🟢🟢
25/1 for the 2,000 Guineas, anyone?@Ballydoyle | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/AOHzbw3HZt
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 11, 2024
He was squeezed within the final half a furlong, so that caused him a bit of an issue, and it was a similar case in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes.
This interference occurred two furlongs from home and Charlie Bishop pulled stumps when it happened, so that run can be forgiven.
If he repeats that July Stakes form here, which was on good to soft ground, he has a sterling chance to out-run his odds and win.
3:35 Ayr – Fivethousandtoone @ 33/1 with Sky Bet (8 places) – 0.5 EW
Fivethousandtoone is 1/19 in turf races throughout his career, but his mark of 99 makes him attractive back in a race that he has performed well in over the last few years.
He finished ninth in 2021 from the wrong side of the track and 12th in 2022 with the same problem, but stall 10 looks more lenient today.
As for his form this season, he was beaten less than three lengths in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes in June, a race that has worked out well as the winner, Montassib, won the recent Group 1 Sprint Cup and the second, Kinross, was a facile winner of last week’s Group 2 Park Stakes.
Even the third, Willem Twee, obliged off 106 in a Racing League handicap on his next start and the fifth, Spycatcher, won the Group 3 Prix de Meautry two starts later.
His success off 98, which is one pound lower than today’s mark, on All-Weather Finals Day in March was very good as Oisin Murphy pulled him across the track into the centre before powering past Misty Grey (a two-time subsequent winner), Chipstead, and Billyjoh (placed in the Buckingham Palace Stakes and Stewards’ Cup since).
Double up for @oismurphy as Fivethousandtoone strikes at @NewcastleRaces! @awchamps pic.twitter.com/k6y1oG2rrv
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) March 29, 2024
He seems in top order having traded as low as 3/1 in-running on his latest start in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes over seven furlongs, though despite travelling powerfully into the race, he didn’t fully see out the trip.
With the nature of this race, if they go off at an erratic pace, P J McDonald could sit tight with him and land him just on the line with his handy draw.
