'I feel a little bad' - Bronze Cup one-two for David O'Meara but trainer has slight regret

David O'Meara warmed up for his bid to land back-to-back Ayr Gold Cups in imperious fashion when Ascot Adventure led home a one-two for the trainer in the Virgin Bet-sponsored Bronze Cup. 

The £35,000 handicap, which serves as one of two consolation races for Saturday's feature sprint, was dominated by Ascot Adventure and runner-up Cold Stare as they pulled clear of the field in their battle through the final two furlongs. 

Ascot Adventure prevailed by three-quarters of a length to record his first win since May last year and the successful trainer was thrilled to finally get the five-year-old back to winning ways. 

"This is the best job we've done with him all year," O'Meara said. "It might have taken us all season to figure out what he wants. 

"They're two well-handicapped horses, it's just a shame one of them had to finish second. Cold Stare has been knocking on the door all year and I feel a little bad for Middleham Park to be that far clear and not win. It can be a hard pill to swallow."

The race serves as an early indicator of draw bias for Saturday's Ayr Gold Cup, for which O'Meara saddles last year's winner Summerghand. However, Ascot Adventure's rider Ben Curtis expects the draw to have little effect after striking from stall six. 

"I don't think there's a draw bias as the ground is pretty much the same everywhere, it's just wherever the pace is," he said. 

"I got the perfect trip today – I was first out the stalls, I just let a couple go and sat on their backsides. I edged him out at the two and kicked him on probably soon enough, but he stuck at it and once you're in front at the line that's all that matters."

Diamond sparkles in Rosebery

Philip Robinson has seen his fair share of top-class talent and the former Classic-winning jockey hopes Beautiful Diamond can shape into a star next season after success in the British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes for Karl Burke. 

The Listed contest has been won by subsequent Group 1 scorers including Winter Power and the Burke-trained Quiet Reflection, who, like Friday's winner, finished fifth in the Lowther Stakes on her previous start. 

Beautiful Diamond holds off Purosangue to win the Listed Harry Rosebery StakesCredit: John Grossick

"She deserved that and clearly didn't see the six furlongs out last time," said Robinson, racing manager to owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. 

"She's all about speed, Clifford [Lee] just let her roll along and it all came to her. I'm not sure if she'll run again this year but we're definitely back to looking at Group level now." 

Crystal clear

Jason Hart was among the winners for the second day in a row after he landed the Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies' Stakes on Pink Crystal. 

The four-year-old finished runner-up last year but benefited from the absence of 2022 winner Gale Force Maya to go one better and enhance William Haggas's impressive course strike-rate to 44 per cent in the last five years. 

"There was a lot going for her, although the ground was a little bit of an unknown," said Hart. "They went very hard and at halfway I thought I had no chance, but I was able to help her through that and she did the rest for me."

Read more:

'We'll pull him out' - Ayr Gold Cup joint-favourite Juan Les Pins to be withdrawn due to the ground 

2023 Ayr Gold Cup: the runners, the odds, the verdict 

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