'I'm not sure he's streetwise enough' - Haggas on Ayr Gold Cup favourite

Saturday: 3.40 Ayr
Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup | 6f | 3yo+ | ITV4/RTV

Kevin Ryan's record in the Ayr Gold Cup is legendary. Successful five times with Advanced (2007), Our Jonathan (2011), Captain Ramius (2012), Brando (2016) and Bielsa (2021), the Malton trainer is four-handed in his bid for a sixth win.

Bielsa heads the quartet, and is reported in "very good order" by trainer's son and assistant Adam Ryan, who says the key to the stable's success is "having the right sort of horse for such a prestigious race that we always want to win".

Bielsa is 1lb higher than when successful 12 months ago and should again give a bold display, but his three stablemates all have claims too.

Bergerac, winner of his last two races at Newmarket and York, is in the form of his life as he bids for the prestigious prize.

"He's won his last two and six furlongs suits him," Ryan said. "He's in great order and just keeps progressing."

Aleezdancer, who gets in at the foot of the weights under Rowan Scott, also arrives in tip-top shape following a Ripon victory and a rock-solid York third to Lucky Man.

"The drop back to six furlongs has been ideal for Aleezdancer," Ryan said. "We ran him over seven furlongs earlier in the season. Ideally we'd like some rain for him, but that seems unlikely now."

Fellow three-year-old Gis A Sub is the least exposed of the trainer's big team. "He ran well at York on his first start after being gelded," Ryan said. "The step up to six furlongs will suit."

'He's certainly got the potential'

William Haggas, who is chasing his first trainers' title, boasts an enviable record at Ayr, and favourite backers will be hoping that continues with Khanjar in the Ayr Gold Cup.

The three-year-old, who races in the Baaeed silks of the Shadwell Estate Company, is considered a sprinter of some potential, but the trainer, who won the race with 7-2 favourite Nahaarr two years ago, does have one major concern going into Ayr's cavalry charge.

"He's a nice, young horse, but I'm not convinced he's streetwise enough to win an Ayr Gold Cup at this stage," Haggas said.

"He's certainly got the potential, though, to develop into a really nice horse in due course."

What they say

Michael Dods, trainer of Commanche Falls, Tinto and Pendleton
Commanche Falls is in good form. Obviously he's carrying a big weight and I'm not totally sure about his draw, although the favourite is also drawn on that side. I'm sure he'll run well, but I'm not sure that he can give that weight away in such a competitive race. Tinto is in good form too. He's been running well all season. The ground was too quick for him at Goodwood and York, so I was hoping it would be slower at Ayr. I wouldn't want it to dry out too much. He's a horse we've felt would benefit from taking weight off which is why we've gone for a 7lb claimer. Pendleton would have been happier with softer ground. I was hoping he'd get into the Silver Cup rather than the Gold Cup. He might be slightly out of his depth in this race.

David O'Meara, trainer of Escobar, Summerghand and Gulliver
Summerghand got a penalty for winning at York. He's drawn down the middle in 12 and I'm not certain that's the best place to be. He's in good form and always gives his running, and he'd be suited by good ground or quicker. I felt Gulliver should have won at the Curragh, he was fiercely unlucky in running and never got out at any stage. The slower the conditions the better for him. We think he's well drawn. It's a bit of an experiment with Escobar. We're not certain the six will suit, but he's getting on now and if they go very quick and he can travel he might go well.

Ed Walker, trainer of Popmaster
After last year's near-miss, I'm hoping to go one better with Popmaster. Great Ambassador won the race on the far side by a long way 12 months ago only to get nailed by Bielsa on the stands' rail. I expect Popmaster to run a big race if he gets the luck you need in a contest like this. Although he ran badly last year, he wore blinkers that day and it just didn't work. He's been in good form this season and he showed he's got a big one in him when second in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot. He wasn't suited by Goodwood in the Stewards' Cup and he's better than he showed at Ascot last time as he needed a stronger gallop. That won't be an issue here.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Bielsa and Fivethousandtoone
I hope the ground doesn't dry out too much for Bielsa. Ideally he needs some give underfoot. He's in good form and it would be great to win the Ayr Gold Cup with him again. We've been waiting for this race for six months. Fivethousandtoone has always shown a lot of promise, and has just started to get his act together. Things didn't go right for him at Newbury and he could have won at Salisbury. We're also expecting a big effort from him.

Scott Dixon, trainer of Motagally
He goes there in great order. This will be his third run for us. We ran him in the Beverley Bullet last month which was a bit too sharp for him. It was a good renewal of that race and he had plenty to find with several of the other runners. He then finished fifth in the Portland over five and a half furlongs on soft ground. He was really motoring at the end and the step back up to six furlongs in the Ayr Gold Cup looks the right move for him. The drying ground will suit and I think he has a decent chance. The last time I looked he was 20-1 and that's excellent value.

Ayr Gold Cup analysis: how to make sense of a pace conundrum in big sprint handicap (£)

Saturday previews:

1.40 Newbury: 'We expect some improvement' - can anyone challenge Godolphin trio in Group 3?

2.15 Newbury: 'This is much easier - she'll go close' - who is confident for wide-open sprint?

2.30 Ayr: Early pace could prove key to breaking Tim Easterby's Silver Cup stranglehold

2.50 Newbury: 'He could be a dark horse' - analysis and key quotes for the Mill Reef

3.05 Ayr: Clive Cox hopes 'thriving' filly can follow Harry Angel's improvement arc

3.55 Gowran Park: Analysis and key quotes as Magic Chegaga bids to continue brilliant season

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