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Ayr Gold Cup |
Our Jonathan Takes Gold at Ayr
17/09/11
1 Our Jonathan 11/1
2 Eton Rifles 6/1F
3 Son Of The Cat 18/1
4 Colonel Mak 16/1
NR: Group Therapy
26 ran Distances: 2l, 1½l, nk
TIME 1m 15.35s (slow by 5.05s)
Class told in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup at Ayr Racecourse on Saturday when the well gambled Our Jonathan won by a very cosy two lengths from favourite Eton Rifles.
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Ridden by Franny Norton, trained by Kevin Ryan and owned by Dr Marwan Koukash who also owns Redford who won the race last year the 11/1 shot was one of the easiest winners of the race with plenty in hand of the others.
Named after the owner's brother in law's son who died playing football at the age of 15 Our Jonathan was a really successful two year old a couple of years back and returned to top form to stay on strongly and turn over the 6/1 favourite.
Dr Koukash was unstinting in his praise for Our Jonathan and said it didn't matter where you were drawn in the race. He said : "We were drawn in the middle and could have gone either way and we could have won it, he won it so easily.
"I am so glad I came up this year, I missed last year's so it is great to be up here. Great course, great people, great result. We left at six this morning to be here and I don't think we'll go back till six o'clock tomorrow morning now."
Trainer Kevin Ryan added : "In the last ten days he has really sparkled - it is difficult to be confident for the Ayr Gold Cup but I felt he was just right today."
And a jubilant Franny Norton commented :"I was destined to win this race - I was due to ride Redford last year and Bahamian Pirate a few years ago who both won but today was the day for me."
More than 10,000 people enjoyed the racing on Saturday and despite a poor forecast the weather held up remarkably well.
The William Ayr Silver Cup also produced a remarkable result when the winner of last year's Bronze Cup, Cheveton won at 12/1 under Dale Swift for trainer Richard Price. The seven year old won by half a length from Marvellous Value (20/1). Could it be a Gold Cup win beckoning for Cheveton next year ?
Friday's William Hill Ayr Bronze Cup produced a 1-2 for trainer Richard Fahey whjen Coolminx (Barry McHugh) beat Jeannie Galloway (Paul Hanagan).
Other highlights during the week included a superb performance from Poet, trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby to win the williamhill.com Doonside Cup at odds of 5/4 fav. On Saturday and earlier the same afternoon Roger Sez (14/1) annihilated the field in the Laundry Cottage Stud Firth of Clyde Stakes.
And although he didn't win the Gold Cup this time round David Nicholls did land a trophy with the williamhill.com Ayrshire Handicap going the way of Don't Call Me ridden by his son Adrian and returned at 12/1.
Thursday's feature race, the williamhill.com Handicap for ther Kilkerran Cup was won by Alistair Whillans Scrapper Smith in the hands of Julie Burke while the BAM Properties Harry Rosebery Stakes for the South Ayrshire Cup on Friday went the way of Caledonia Lady (5/4 fav) ridden by Paul Hanagan for trainer Jo Hughes.
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Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
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1 |
Our Jonathan K A Ryan |
F Norton 9st 6lbs |
11 - 1 Winner |
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2 |
Eton Rifles D R C Elsworth |
T E Durcan 9st 3lbs |
6 - 1 2 lengths |
|
3 |
Son Of The Cat B Gubby |
S De Sousa 9st 0lbs |
18 - 1 1 1/2 length |
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4 |
Colonel Mak T D Barron |
Lee Newman 9st 0lbs |
16 - 1 Neck |
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5 |
Pastoral Player H Morrison |
D Holland 9st 4lbs |
18 - 1 Nose |
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6 |
Evens And Odds K A Ryan |
Julie Burke 8st 13lbs |
33 - 1 1/2 length |
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7 |
Croisultan L McAteer |
N G McCullagh 9st 1lbs |
10 - 1 1/2 length |
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8 |
Waffle T D Barron |
P Makin 9st 6lbs |
20 - 1 2 1/4 lengths |
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9 |
Tajneed D Nicholls |
M O'Connell 9st 4lbs |
25 - 1 1/2 length |
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10 |
Hawkeyethenoo J S Goldie |
G Bartley 9st 5lbs |
12 - 1 1/2 length |
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11 |
Regal Parade D Nicholls |
Adrian Nicholls 9st 9lbs |
12 - 1 Neck |
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12 |
High Standing W J Haggas |
A Culhane 9st 1lbs |
20 - 1 Neck |
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13 |
Majestic Myles R A Fahey |
J P O'Brien 9st 10lbs |
25 - 1 1/2 length |
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14 |
Ancient Cross M W Easterby |
P Aspell 9st 1lbs |
28 - 1 1/2 length |
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15 |
Breathless Kiss K A Ryan |
Amy Ryan 8st 13lbs |
66 - 1 1/2 length |
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16 |
Dungannon A M Balding |
L Keniry 9st 0lbs |
20 - 1 2 1/4 lengths |
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17 |
Light From Mars J J Quinn |
D Swift 9st 0lbs |
50 - 1 1 1/2 length |
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18 |
Kaldoun Kingdom R A Fahey |
Lee Topliss 8st 13lbs |
16 - 1 1/2 length |
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19 |
Anne Of Kiev J Gask |
A Kirby 9st 1lbs |
28 - 1 1 1/4 length |
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20 |
Castles In The Air R A Fahey |
George Chaloner 8st 13lbs |
40 - 1 3/4 length |
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21 |
Mayson R A Fahey |
P Hanagan 8st 13lbs |
14 - 1 1 3/4 length |
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22 |
Pepper Lane D O'Meara |
D Tudhope 9st 4lbs |
14 - 1 1 length |
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23 |
Brave Prospector R A Fahey |
T Hamilton 8st 12lbs |
40 - 1 3/4 length |
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24 |
Darajaat M P Tregoning |
R Ffrench 8st 13lbs |
40 - 1 1/2 length |
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25 |
Mac's Power J R Fanshawe |
E Ahern 9st 1lbs |
12 - 1 10 lengths |
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26 |
Below Zero M Johnston |
F M Berry 8st 13lbs |
28 - 1 6 lengths |
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NonRunner |
Group Therapy T D Barron |
D Allan 9st 6lbs |
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