Raucous Ayr Gold Cup reception in store if legendary Jack Berry can land his most beloved prize once more

You will be hard pressed to find someone who will cherish victory in the Ayr Gold Cup more than Jack Berry.

For many, the Yorkshireman's name is most closely associated with Jack Berry House, the Injured Jockeys Fund's northern rehabilitation centre that Berry pioneered and is testament to the 85-year-old's lifetime spent in service to racing.

It is a facility Berry would have benefited greatly from during his 12-year spell as a jump jockey, during which he acquired almost as many broken bones as winners. It was during his time in the saddle that a fascination with the Ayr Gold Cup began, and Berry fell in love with the sprinters sent north by Towser Gosden, who used to give his horses a brief pit-stop at the yard of Berry's first boss, Charlie Hall, en route to Ayr.

From there a dream was born to train a winner of the prestigious handicap, a feat he finally achieved in 1988 when So Careful won at 33-1 under Nicky Carlisle.

Aleezdancer: Jack Berry-owner sprinter is Kevin Ryan's main hope of a sixth Ayr Gold Cup success

It was a momentous achievement for one of racing's greatest fundraisers, with the success realising a lifetime ambition and was the highlight of his 1,600 winners as a trainer.

Now, 35 years later, Berry will be hoping for a rousing encore as an owner in Scotland's biggest Flat race with Aleezdancer, who heads a three-strong team for Kevin Ryan.

The four-year-old will be making his third appearance at the Ayr festival and his second in the feature handicap after finishing 16th in the race in 2022, the last of the five returning horses in this year's field.

Good ground at last year's meeting was not in his favour, and softening conditions following showers in west Scotland is sure aid his chances. Berry could hardly have picked a better trainer for the job than Ryan, who has won the race five times since 2007, and Aleezdancer lines up following a commendable fifth in the Stewards' Cup on his first start on heavy ground.

Conditions at Goodwood may have proved too testing but all his wins have come with soft in the going description, so everything is primed for Aleezdancer to run a big race off 9st 3lb.

Should he triumph, an echo of the raucous reception that greeted So Careful is likely to be heard across Ayr. For a man who has given so much to racing, Berry has more than earned another chance to take his most beloved prize home.

Saturday previews:

1.30 Newbury: 'We need to get a run into her' - can anyone stop high-class Sense Of Duty on belated comeback?

2.25 Ayr: 'We've trained him for this race - who fancies their Ayr Silver Cup chances?   

2.30 Curragh: 'He's a fine, big horse who we like' - which of the Ballydoyle brigade can resume their Beresford domination?   

3.00 Ayr: 'I find it odd she's such a short-price favourite but I hope the market is right' - key quotes for the Firth of Clyde   

3.15 Newbury: 'I just don't know whether this ground will suit him' - who will handle testing conditions best in Mill Reef?   

3.35 Ayr: 'This really should be his day and he's got a great chance' - top trainers on their Ayr Gold Cup hopefuls   

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