The recent Group 2 Hungerford Stakes winner Witch Hunter continues to head the weights for next month’s Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup on 10-3 after 8 horses were scratched from the race, leaving 186 still in contention.

Richard Hannon’s 4 year-old had topped a 194-strong entry from his new handicap mark of 115 with Mick Appleby’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes third Annaf still next in the weights for the September 23 feature on 9-10. 

The two top-rated 3 year-olds Rumstar (Jonathan Portman) and Shouldvebeenaring (Hannon) are also still in the race on 9-9 and 9-8.

Last year’s winner Summerghand remains on target to defend his crown off 9-9 after his latest dead-heat success at York incurred a 5lbs penalty, with the highest-rated Scottish trained horse in the race (and currently guaranteed a run) continuing to be the Katie Scott trained Gweedore on 9-2.

2021 winner Bielsa is very close to being guaranteed a FOURTH run in the £180,000 race after the scratching of Richard Fahey’s Strike Red and the 186 remaining entries should guarantee full fields as well for the Virgin Bet Silver Cup and Virgin Bet Bronze Cup at the 3-day meeting which gets underway on Thursday 21 September.