Nicholls Out To Continue Ayr Gold Cup Domination

The Ayr Gold Cup, Europe’s richest sprint handicap, raced over six furlongs at Ayr Racecourse in Scotland is as always a competitive race and this year's renewal which take place on Saturday looks no different. The two market leaders in the 27 runner field currently are the James Fanshawe trained, Macs Power and Pepper Lane trained by David O’Meara.

Macs Power has ran consistently well this season in good races without winning, his best performance coming in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood at the end of July where he came third just under 3 lengths behind the winner, Hoof It.

in contrast, Pepper Lane has shown considerable winning form for much of the season, winning four times from six starts all over six furlongs but now at the same level as his market rivals with his best victory coming in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon last month.

The Ayr Gold Cup is always a huge betting heat and it usually ends in victory for the Bookmakers. The last favourite to win the race came way back in 1996 and the average starting price of the winner since then is 16/1!

Based on the form of the favourites, it is advised that one thing any punter does when it comes to the Ayr Gold Cup is check the entries of trainer, Dandy Nicholls, who has made this race his own in recent years, saddling a total of six winners in the past ten years! Nicholls was given first choice for his two entries in this ahead of the Ayr Gold cup draw on Thursday and has opted for stall 27 for Regal Parade and 21 for Tajneed and are both quoted at 25/1 to win the race and could represent great each way value.

Top northern trainer, Richard Fahey has fields five runners in the race including the top weight, Majestic Myles, who will be ridden by Joseph O’Brien and is currently around the 20/1 mark. Fahey whose only win in the race came in 2006 with Fonthill Road is also represented by Mayson and ridden by champion  jockey Paul Hanagan; the other three runners from the sprint specialist are Castles In The Air, Kaldoun Kingdom and bottom weight, Brave Prospector.

Movers in the Ayr Gold Cup betting this week include popular Scottish entry, Hawkeyethenoo, trained by Jim Goldie who is looking to be the first successful Scottish trainer in the race in 36 years. The five year old ran in the race 12 months ago but could only manage to finish in mid-division. He is a course winner however and has also been in the winner’s enclosure this year after he claimed victory in the prestigious and valuable Victoria Cup at Ascot. He has been backed into 12/1 from 18/1 earlier in the week and is likely to get shorter drawn from stall 20.

There has been plenty of whispers concerning the chances of the David Elsworth trained Eton Rifles, drawn 16, who has shown very consistent form all season, including a win in the Betfair Summer Double Second Leg Stakes at Goodwood on the 27th of last month. Elsworth, clearly likes to keep the six year old busy as he was out again just a week later in the valuable Fly London Southend Airport Handicap at Ascot where he finished third behind the David O’Meara trained, Smarty Socks. This race could be a very strong indicator for the chances of O’Meara’s Pepper Lane, who by all accounts is by far a better prospect than Smarty Socks.

Trainer, David Barron who saddled the last favourite to win the race back in 1996 has a very good looking entry in Colonel Mak, who won the Ayr Silver Cup 12 months ago and comes into the race on the back of a recent solid victory in a 0-100 handicap at Ffos Las at the end of August. Drawn 15 and with odds of around 14/1 he looks a very good each way prospect at least.

One of the biggest market movers so far has been the Liam McAteer trained Croisultan who at least according to his trainer is a much better prospect than his last entry in the race, Majestic Times who was beaten by two short heads into third place in the race in 2006. Clearly, McAteers bullishness this week has scared the Bookies somewhat but he is a trainer who knows what it takes to win this and being drawn in stall 7, he would appear to have every chance.

The possibilities are seemingly endless as to who will emerge victorious but with so much value to be had at 10/1 the field, it is little wonder why this is one of the busiest Saturday's of the year for betting outside of the Grand National.