William Hill Ayr Gold Cup |
|
| Heritage Handicap, Ayr 15:45 £180,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 2  |
|
| Saturday 19th September 2015 | |
1 Don't Touch 6/1F
2 Poyle Vinnie 50/1
3 Ninjago 33/1
4 Toofi 10/1
5 Buckstay 12/1
25 ran Distances: ½l, hd, hd
TIME 1m 10.93s (slow by 0.93s)
Richard Fahey makes it a cup double at Ayr as Don't Touch maintains his unbeaten record in the Gold Cup
Don't Touch the first 3yo to win the Ayr Gold Cup since 2004, and only the second 3yo to win in the last 20 years
 |
The Richard Fahey-trained winner of the Great St Wilfrid Handicap had headed the betting for this contest ever since that success, and snapped losing streaks for both favourites and and three-year-olds in the prestigious handicap.
Fahey was wrapping up a memorable day for his stable, having already saddled a one-two in the consolation Silver Cup and taken the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury with Ribchester.
Don't Touch (6/1 favourite) was always to the forefront in the big field, taking a lead up the middle of the track from Glory Awaits, before
He had to be game though, as Poyle Vinnie (50/1) and Ninjago (33/1) pushed him all the way to the line and were only half a length and a head behind at the line.
Toofi (10/1) finished fourth having had every chance , while Buckstay (12/1) came from the clouds to snatch fifth having dropped back in trip to six furlongs for the race.
"It's been a fantastic day for everyone," said the winning trainer. "This is a vey hard race to win and you need a proper horse to win it. For a three-year-old who hadn't even run four months ago to win it is pretty special.
"Today you see a horse who is more the finished article. He travelled better than he has done before. I thought when he won his maiden at Newcastle that he might just be the right type for this race. Sometimes dreams do come true and this is a dream for me.
"I think we'll probably finish him off for the season now and bring him back next year where we'll be looking at seven furlongs.
"I've always wanted to win this race and I must admit I had a bit of a tear in my eye as I was watching it."
Winning jockey Tony Hamilton said: "I banged him out of the stalls because I didn't want him to go flat on me, like he had done a bit last time, but he was so professional today."
Joint-owner Nicholas Wrigley said: "What an extraordinary day, I can't believe it.
"I didn't expect that. I just kept reading no three-year-old had won for 15 years and no favourite had won since God was in short pants so I thought we had no chance."
Fellow owner Kevin Hart said: "When you win a maiden first time out at Newcastle in May, you don't really dream of winning the Ayr Gold Cup - that can't have been done before.
"Tony keeps saying we haven't got to the bottom of it and he said it again today, he was going away again.
"We all think he's a seven-furlong horse. He'll be exciting next year but he might not be at Wolverhampton any more."
Hamilton said: "He's a horse I've always loved and this is a race I've always wanted to win.
"He's done it a bit too well really as I was in front too soon, but we've got away with it.
"He's really improved since the Great St Wilfrid. Ripon is a funny track and he didn't really like it. He was a lot more professional today."
William Hill Ayr Gold Cup (Heritage Handicap)
£180,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 2
25 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (8) | Don't Touch 6/1f | T Hamilton 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 3 | |
| 2nd | (4) | ½ | Poyle Vinnie 50/1 | A Mullen 9-5 |
M Appleby | 5 |
| 3rd | (9) | hd | Ninjago 33/1 | S M Levey 9-3 |
R Hannon | 5 |
| 4th | (5) | hd | Toofi (FR) 10/1 | A Kirby 9-4 |
R Varian | 4 |
| 5th | (20) | nk | Buckstay (IRE) 12/1 | F M Berry 9-3 |
P W Chapple-Hyam | 5 |
| 6th | (19) | 1 | Highland Colori (IRE) 22/1 | David Probert 9-5 |
A M Balding | 7 |
| 7th | (11) | nse | Rene Mathis (GER) (ex5) 20/1 | George Chaloner 9-8 |
R A Fahey | 5 |
| 8th | (1) | ¾ | Hoof It (ex5) 16/1 | Graham Gibbons 9-0 |
M W Easterby | 8 |
| 9th | (10) | nk | Golden Steps (FR) 11/1 | M Harley 9-5 |
M Botti | 4 |
| 10th | (12) | nse | Rivellino 14/1 | D P McDonogh 9-5 |
K R Burke | 5 |
| 11th | (15) | 1 | Heaven's Guest (IRE) 9/1 | Jack Garritty (3) 9-9 |
R A Fahey | 5 |
| 12th | (7) | nse | Lexington Abbey 14/1 | P J Smullen 8-13 |
K A Ryan | 4 |
| 13th | (13) | hd | Jack Dexter 12/1 | F Lynch 9-10 |
J S Goldie | 6 |
| 14th | (18) | ¾ | Glory Awaits (IRE) 33/1 | Gary Paul Halpin (5) 9-9 |
K A Ryan | 5 |
| 15th | (14) | hd | Dinkum Diamond (IRE) 33/1 | Catherine Gannon 9-5 |
H Candy | 7 |
| 16th | (17) | nk | Professor 33/1 | P Mulrennan 9-4 |
M J Attwater | 5 |
| 17th | (16) | 1 | Majestic Moon (IRE) (ex5) 20/1 | S De Sousa 9-4 |
J Gallagher | 5 |
| 18th | (2) | nk | Highland Acclaim (IRE) 12/1 | D Tudhope 9-0 |
D O'Meara | 4 |
| 19th | (25) | 2¾ | Tanzeel (IRE) 10/1 | P Hanagan 9-6 |
C Hills | 4 |
| 20th | (24) | nk | Algar Lad 25/1 | Sam James 9-2 |
D O'Meara | 5 |
| 21st | (6) | ½ | Boom The Groom (IRE) 40/1 | William Carson 9-0 |
A W Carroll | 4 |
| 22nd | (21) | 2¼ | Blaine 14/1 | G Lee 9-0 |
K A Ryan | 5 |
| 23rd | (3) | 1¼ | Astrophysics 50/1 | P McDonald 9-1 |
Mrs A Duffield | 3 |
| 24th | (23) | ½ | Red Pike (IRE) 50/1 | T Eaves 9-3 |
B Smart | 4 |
| 25th | (22) | 3¾ | Sound Advice 28/1 | P Makin 9-5 |
K Dalgleish | 6 |
