The Ayr Gold Cup returned to Scotland after an enforced switch to Haydock last year and it did so with one of the most dramatic and memorable renewals in its long history. The judge spent five minutes trying to separate Son Of Rest and Baron Bolt, who finished four lengths in front of their 23 opponents, before declaring the first dead heat in the history of a race that was first staged in 1804.
Bookies and punters alike were waiting with bated breath for the result, as Son Of Rest had set off as the 5-1 favourite following a major gamble in the minutes leading up to the race.
The reason was obvious: Fozzy Stack’s four-year-old had finished second in a Group One sprint in Ireland seven days earlier and was set to race off a mark of 101 at Ayr.
When Son Of Rest charged into the lead a furlong out, it seemed the gamble was about to be landed. That race was over five furlongs, however, and Son Of Rest was running on empty in the final strides, having covered an extra furlong on heavy ground.
Baron Bolt, a 28-1 outsider, came to join him and briefly seemed to edge in front but in a head-bobbing finish Son Of Rest managed to claim a share of the prize.
Uttoxeter 1.40 Willyegolassiego 2.10 Balkinstown 2.45 Minella Warrior 3.15 Equus Millar 3.50 Cobra De Mai 4.20 Stepover 4.50 Chantecler 5.25 Welsh Designe
Hamilton Park 2.00 Footstepsintime 2.30 Edgar Allan Poe 3.05 Carnageo 3.35 Cloudlam 4.10 Kalagia 4.40 Calliope 5.10 Pentland Hills (nap)
Plumpton 2.20 Panko 2.55 Regulation (nb) 3.25 Orchestrated 4.00 Twenty Twenty 4.30 Anteros 5.00 Eric The Third 5.35 Canford Thompson
“I thought I was beat so it’s nice to half get it,” Chris Hayes, the rider of Son Of Rest, said. “He’s an out-and-out hold-up horse and as I got there a furlong out, I said to myself it was too soon. But he has kept going.”
At Newbury, meanwhile, Kessaar battled on bravely on deteriorating ground to take the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes, having looked more likely to finish second to the strong-travelling True Mason approaching the two-furlong pole.
“The second is a lovely horse,” John Gosden, the winner’s trainer, said, “but this guy handled the ground. He won a Group Three [at Kempton] last time and a Group Two this time, so we will have to go for a Group One next. The Critérium International at Saint-Cloud used to be a mile but they dropped it to seven, so we are all going to Paris.”
Take Cover, one of the most popular and durable Flat horses in training, finished a brave second behind Mr Lupton in the Group Three World Trophy Stakes as he made what Andrew Hollis, the 11-year-old’s owner, insists will be the final start of his career.
As ever Take Cover set off in front and he was worn down only with the line in sight.
“He has done us proud and I couldn’t ask him to come back again [next season],” Hollis said. “He has got plenty of half-brothers and sisters to go into training. He will definitely retire today.”
Young Rascal, unraced since finishing only seventh in the Derby at a single-figure price, returned to winning form after a 112-day break with a last-stride success in the Group Three Legacy Cup here.
It was a cosy success in the Chester Vase in early May that sent Young Rascal towards the head of the Derby betting and, if his latest win was less emphatic, with just a short-head to spare over Mirage Dancer, it did suggest he may be a horse to follow at four.
“He ran in the Derby like his legs were tied together from flag-fall,” William Haggas, Young Rascal’s trainer, said, “and it knocked the stuffing out of him.
“For me the right race for him is the [Prix] Chaudenay on Arc weekend. It’s only two weeks away but, if it came up soft in Paris, we would be very tempted to go.”
