Today’s horse racing preview selections come from the first day of the Ayr Gold Cup festival, with the feature being the Listed Doonside Cup.
13.40 Ayr – EBF Novices Stakes (8f)
Previous course experience has gone along way to provide the winner of this race over the renewals, so on this significance, this brings in two strong contenders in Ventura Royal and Salazar, with the latter just getting the verdict. Kevin Ryan’s gelding won decisively over 7.2f around here on the 12th of August, to be fair the top four behind have not won but have shown significant improvement on their next run so the race could pan out to be a useful Novice contest.
David O’Meara’s filly Ventura Royal has improved on every run and showed this at Thirsk when two and a half lengths behind a strong Fahey winner Exhort. If we judge her on the fifth place finish over 7f around here she still looked green, but the fourth Che Bella franked the form, but the top two have failed to improve, and with no fillies winning this race in all six renewals, and geldings have a 4-6 success in the race the nod goes to Salazar.
SALAZAR : 3pt Win @ SP (BOG)
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16.50 Ayr – William Hill Doonside Cup Stakes (Listed) (10f)
I am more interested in two of the three year old’s in this, in Born to Be Alive and Forest Ranger. Firstly, the Richard Fahey entry here in Forest Ranger. What I have seen of him throughout his races, he is a free willing type who should have won more than just his two resume wins. He drops out of pattern company after what looked a good second in the Group 2 Strensall Stakes at York.
Without being too hypocritical of him, he just looks out of his depth. So the selection comes in Karl Burke’s Born to be Alive. Won here back in June over 8f by eight lengths and nearly capitalised on that when just beaten at Clairefontaine in the Listed Prix Pelleas. It might not be a stand out, but entries that have come off the back of good runs abroad have won this, I just feel he apposes value at 5/1 over the 9/4 for Forest Ranger off level weights.
BORN TO BE ALIVE : 2pt Win @ 5/1 (BOG)
Best of Luck, Bet Responsibly
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