Entries are UP for the Ayr Gold Cup with the feature race of this year’s Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup Festival attracting 39 more horses than last year ahead of next week’s publication of the weights for the £180,000 sprint handicap.

263 horses have been entered for this year’s race on Saturday September 20, with the joint highest-rated being Tim Easterby’s Group 1 winner Art Power and last year’s Ayr Gold Cup hero Lethal Levi, both of which are currently rated on 109.

Last year’s Group 3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes winner at Ayr, Sky Majesty, is next on the list with a rating of 108, after a recent Listed success at Naas meant the William Haggas trained filly had now won 4 of her 6 starts.

Haggas won the Gold Cup in 2020 with Nahaarr while Tim Easterby will be looking to emulate his late father Peter who won the Gold Cup 3 times with Polly’s Brother (1983), Able Albert (1984) and Final Shot in 1990.

Last year’s winning trainer Karl Burke had also trained the winners in 1994 and 1998 with Daring Destiny and Always Alight and Burke made his own bit of history in 2024 by saddling the second and third horses home as well as the winner.

Katie Scott’s 2023 Gold Cup third Gweedore (92) has been entered after missing last year’s race through while fellow Scottish trainer Jim Goldie’s highest-rated entry is last year’s 5th Jordan Electrics which is currently rated 100.

224 horses were entered in 2024 compared to 194 in 2023 and this year’s entry of 263 reflects the importance of this most prestigious of sprint handicaps in the Racing Calendar.

The top 25 declarations will run for the Ladbrokes Gold Cup on the Saturday with the next 25 eligible for the Silver Cup on the same day and the 25 after that all eligible to run for the Bronze Cup on the middle day of the 3-day fixture on Friday September 19.

183 horses were still left in last year’s Gold Cup before final declarations, a number which could have filled the big race a remarkable 7-times over with connections of 8 horses still disappointed.

The weights for this year’s Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup will be published on Wednesday August 20.

Tickets available at:
www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk