Bacchus and Cardsharp head 214 entries for the Ayr Gold Cup

Royal Ascot winner Bacchus and last year's July Stakes scorer Cardsharp head the 214 entries for next month's Ayr Gold Cup.

The Brian Meehan-trained Bacchus, who defeated warm favourite Dreamfield in the Wokingham, was last seen finishing down the field behind Polydream in the Prix Maurice de Gheest earlier this month.

Cardsharp, a Group 2-winning juvenile who is the joint top-rated runner with Bacchus, won the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury in June after stepping down from a mile earlier this term.

Trainer Mark Johnston, who is hunting down Richard Hannon snr's record for the total most winners this week, has also entered Lake Volta in a bid to land a first success in this £200,000 race.

Cardsharp: won the July Stakes as a two-year-oldCredit: Edward Whitaker

Godolphin, who have also yet to win the 6f contest, have three entries in the form of Top Score, Brian The Snail and Culturati.

Andrew Balding, who trained last year's victor Donjuan Triumphant, could be represented by Stone Of Destiny, while the 2016 runner-up, Growl, is among a number of potential runners for two-time winning trainer Richard Fahey.

William Hill Ayr Gold Cup entries

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