Ayr Gold Cup

The Ayr Gold Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ayr over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

Ayr Gold Cup
Handicap race
LocationAyr Racecourse
Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland
Inaugurated1804
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
SponsorQTS
WebsiteAyr
Race information
Distance6f (1,207 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackStraight
QualificationThree-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
Purse£75,000 (2020)
1st: £46,688
Ayr Gold Cup
2020
Nahaarr Spanish City Mr Lupton

History

The event was established in 1804, and it was originally held at Ayr's former racecourse at Belleisle. In the early part of its history it was restricted to horses bred and trained in Scotland. It was initially contested over two separate heats of two miles, and was subsequently a single race with a two-mile distance.

The Ayr Gold Cup became a handicap in 1855, and it was shortened to about a mile in 1870. The Belleisle track closed in 1907, and the race was relocated and cut to 6 furlongs in 1908.

The lightest winning weight in the race since it became a sprint is 6 st 13 lb (44 kg). This was carried to victory by Marmaduke Jinks in 1936. The heaviest is 10 st (63½ kg), the burden of Roman Warrior in 1975. The latter horse, trained at Ayr by Nigel Angus, is the most recent winner trained in Scotland.

The field for the Ayr Gold Cup is formed from the highest-weighted horses entered for the race. The maximum number of runners is currently twenty-seven. Those eliminated are now offered the chance to compete in the Ayr Silver Cup, a consolation race introduced in 1992. An event for horses excluded from that race, the Ayr Bronze Cup, was established in 2009.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

  • Dazzle – 1889, 1890, 1891

Leading jockey (4 wins):

  • Tom Nicholson – Dominie Skelp (1827), Brunswick (1830), Gondolier (1831), Masetto (1834)
  • William NobleDespot (1836), The Doctor (1840), The Recorder (1842), The Shadow (1843)
(note: the jockeys of some of the early winners are unknown)

Leading trainer (15 wins):

  • Tom Dawson – Inheritor (1835, 1838), Despot (1836, 1837), The Doctor (1840), Doctor Caius (1841), The Recorder (1842), The Shadow (1843, 1844), Inheritress (1845, 1846), Stilton (1852), Itch (1854), Tabouret (1868), Good Hope (1869)
(note: the trainers of some of the early winners are unknown)

Winners since 1980

  • Weights given in stones and pounds.
Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer SP Time
1980 Sparkling Boy 3 9-02 John Lowe Paul Kelleway 1015 15/1
1981 First Movement 3 7-10 Mick Miller Geoff Huffer 1014 14/1
1982 Famous Star 3 7-07 Paul Eddery Michael Albina 1006.5 13/2
1983 Polly's Brother 5 8-03 Kevin Hodgson Peter Easterby 1011 11/1
1984 Able Albert 4 8-06 Mark Birch Peter Easterby 1009 9/1
1985 Camps Heath 4 7-09 Wendyll Woods Frankie Durr 1014 14/1
1986 Green Ruby 5 8-11 John Williams Toby Balding 1025 25/1 1:10.60
1987 Not So Silly 3 7-10 Gary Bardwell Alan Bailey 1012 12/1 1:15.29
1988 So Careful 5 7-07 Nicky Carlisle Jack Berry 1033 33/1 1:14.54
1989 Joveworth 6 8-00 Jimmy Fortune Mike O'Neill 1050 50/1 1:14.92
1990 Final Shot 3 8-02 John Lowe Peter Easterby 1012 12/1 1:13.80
1991 Sarcita 3 8-10 Brett Doyle David Elsworth 1014 14/1 1:09.36
1992 Lochsong 4 9-00 Francis Arrowsmith Ian Balding 1010 10/1 1:15.51
1993 Hard to Figure 7 9-06 Ray Cochrane Ron Hodges 1012 12/1 1:09.05
1994 Daring Destiny 3 8-00 Jason Tate Karl Burke 1018 18/1 1:14.61
1995 Royale Figurine 4 8-09 Darryll Holland M. Fetherston-Godley 1008 8/1 1:11.11
1996 Coastal Bluff 4 9-10 Jimmy Fortune David Barron 1003 3/1 F 1:09.54
1997 Wildwood Flower 4 9-03 Dane O'Neill Richard Hannon Sr. 1014 14/1 1:11.64
1998 Always Alight 4 8-07 John Egan Karl Burke 1016 16/1 1:16.12
1999 Grangeville 4 9-00 Kieren Fallon Ian Balding 1011 11/1 1:11.16
2000 Bahamian Pirate 5 8-00 Adrian Nicholls David Nicholls 1033 33/1 1:13.47
2001 Continent 4 8-10 Darryll Holland David Nicholls 1010 10/1 1:09.70
2002 Funfair Wane 3 9-03 Adrian Nicholls David Nicholls 1016 16/1 1:11.76
2003 Quito 6 8-06 Tony Culhane David Chapman 1020 20/1 1:09.90
2004 Funfair Wane 5 8-06 Paul Doe David Nicholls 1033 33/1 1:16.15
2005 Presto Shinko 4 9-02 Seb Sanders Richard Hannon Sr. 1012 12/1 1:12.45
2006 Fonthill Road 6 9-02 Paul Hanagan Richard Fahey 1016 16/1 1:12.70
2007 Advanced 4 9-09 Jamie Spencer Kevin Ryan 1020 20/1 1:12.91
2008 Regal Parade 4 8-10 William Carson, Jr. David Nicholls 1018 18/1 1:15.48
2009 Jimmy Styles 5 9-02 Frankie Dettori Clive Cox 1014 14/1 1:11.35
2010 Redford 5 9-02 Frankie Dettori David Nicholls 1014 14/1 1:10.26
2011 Our Jonathan 4 9-06 Franny Norton Kevin Ryan 1011 11/1 1:15.35
2012 Captain Ramius 6 9-00 Pat Smullen Kevin Ryan 1016 16/1 1:14.13
2013 Highland Colori 5 8-13 Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding 1020 20/1 1:12.65
2014 Louis the Pious 6 9-04 James Doyle David O'Meara 1010 10/1 1:09.53
2015 Don't Touch 3 9-01 Tony Hamilton Richard Fahey 1006 6/1 F 1:10.93
2016 Brando 4 9-10 Tom Eaves Kevin Ryan 1011 11/1 1:13.12
2017 Donjuan Triumphant[lower-alpha 1] 4 9-10 P. J. McDonald Andrew Balding 1006.5 13/2 1:17.10
2018
(dh)
Baron Bolt
Son of Rest
5
4
8-12
9-03
Cameron Noble
Chris Hayes
Paul Cole
Fozzy Stack
1028 28/1
1005 5/1 F
1:14.77
2019 Angel Alexander 3 8-13 Richard Kingscote Tom Dascombe 1028 28/1 1.09.26
2020 Naharr 4 9-05 Tom Marquand William Haggas 1003.5 7/2 F 1:11.65
  1. The 2017 running was held at Haydock due to a waterlogged course at Ayr.[1]

Earlier winners

  • 1804: Chancellor
  • 1805: Chancellor
  • 1806: Young Newbyth
  • 1807: Juno
  • 1808: Young Daffodil
  • 1809: Bit of Tartan
  • 1810: colt by John Bull
  • 1811: Ayrshire Lass
  • 1812: Ardrossan
  • 1813: Snodgrass
  • 1814: Ardrossan
  • 1815: Marquis
  • 1816: Kate Kearney
  • 1817: Glengary
  • 1818: Sans Culottes
  • 1819: Monreith
  • 1820: Chance
  • 1821: colt by Stamford
  • 1822: colt by Viscount
  • 1823: Lancer
  • 1824: Stratherne
  • 1825: Lancer
  • 1826: Robin Hood
  • 1827: Dominie Skelp
  • 1828: Mary
  • 1829: Spadassin
  • 1830: Brunswick
  • 1831: Gondolier
  • 1832: Vyvyan
  • 1833: Philip
  • 1834: Masetto
  • 1835: Inheritor
  • 1836: Despot
  • 1837: Despot
  • 1838: Inheritor
  • 1839: Lanercost
  • 1840: The Doctor
  • 1841: Doctor Caius
  • 1842: The Recorder
  • 1843: The Shadow
  • 1844: The Shadow
  • 1845: Inheritress
  • 1846: Inheritress
  • 1847: Eryx
  • 1848: Chanticleer
  • 1849: Glen Saddel
  • 1850: Elthiron
  • 1851: Elthiron
  • 1852: Stilton
  • 1853: Testator
  • 1854: Itch
  • 1855: John Dory
  • 1856: The Assayer
  • 1857: Gathercole
  • 1858: Trip the Daisy
  • 1859: Susannah
  • 1860: Greta
  • 1861: Bloomsbury
  • 1862: Little Captain
  • 1863: Bohemian
  • 1864: Newchurch
  • 1865: Nothing More
  • 1866: Fitzroy
  • 1867: Miss Havelock
  • 1868: Tabouret
  • 1869: Good Hope
  • 1870: Lady of Lyons
  • 1871: Irregularity
  • 1872: Alaric
  • 1873: Lord Derby
  • 1874: Servia
  • 1875: Munden
  • 1876: Coltness
  • 1877: Ivy
  • 1878: Sutler
  • 1879: Umbria
  • 1880: Strathblane
  • 1881: Heath Bird
  • 1882: Tita
  • 1883: Tibicen
  • 1884: Perdita
  • 1885: Daylight
  • 1886: Daylight
  • 1887: Mirth
  • 1888: Reverie
  • 1889: Dazzle
  • 1890: Dazzle
  • 1891: Dazzle
  • 1892: Horton
  • 1893: Once More
  • 1894: Mimram
  • 1895: Linton
  • 1896: Athel
  • 1897: Athel
  • 1898: Gyp
  • 1899: Portebella
  • 1900: Child Waters
  • 1901: Caedmon
  • 1902: Lovetin
  • 1903: Kirkbride
  • 1904: King's Birthday
  • 1905: Kilglass
  • 1906: Cyrus
  • 1907: Charis
  • 1908: Raeberry
  • 1909: Alwine
  • 1910: Raeberry
  • 1911: Saucy John
  • 1912: Grammont
  • 1913: Borrow
  • 1914–16: no race
  • 1917: Wayward
  • 1918: no race
  • 1919: Beresina
  • 1920: Forest Guard
  • 1921: Self Sacrifice
  • 1922: Soldennis
  • 1923: Baydon
  • 1924: Westmead
  • 1925: Phalaros
  • 1926: Lord Wembley
  • 1927: Martenax
  • 1928: Nothing Venture
  • 1929: Tommy Atkins
  • 1930: Heronslea
  • 1931: Heronslea
  • 1932: Solenoid
  • 1933: Ken Hill
  • 1934: Figaro
  • 1935: Greenore
  • 1936: Marmaduke Jinks
  • 1937: Daytona
  • 1938: Old Reliance
  • 1939–45: no race
  • 1946: Royal Charger
  • 1947: Kilbelin
  • 1948: Como
  • 1949: Irish Dance
  • 1950: First Consul
  • 1951: Fair Seller
  • 1952: Vatellus
  • 1953: Blue Butterfly
  • 1954: Orthopaedic
  • 1955: Hook Money
  • 1956: Precious Heather
  • 1957: Jacintha
  • 1958: Rhythmic
  • 1959: Whistling Victor
  • 1960: Dawn Watch
  • 1961: Klondyke Bill
  • 1962: Janeat
  • 1963: Egualita
  • 1964: Compensation
  • 1965: Kamundu
  • 1966: Milesius
  • 1967: Be Friendly
  • 1968: Petite Path
  • 1969: Brief Star
  • 1970: John Splendid
  • 1971: Royben
  • 1972: Swinging Junior
  • 1973: Blue Cashmere
  • 1974: Somersway
  • 1975: Roman Warrior
  • 1976: Last Tango
  • 1977: Jon George
  • 1978: Vaigly Great
  • 1979: Primula Boy

See also

References

  1. "Ayr Gold Cup to be run at Haydock on Saturday, 30 September". BBC Sport. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.