Get the view from connections and Man On The Spot verdict for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.
15.50 William Hill Ayr Gold Cup
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View from connections:
Fozzy Stack - Son Of Rest: "He got there at 8pm on Thursday night, I'm pleased to say. Now all we have to hope for is that the handicapper is right and that he is 10lb well-in. It was five furlongs last week and he finished strong, the ground can't be soft enough for him and he stayed six furlongs as a two-year-old."
Adrian Keatley - G Force: "We're happy enough with the draw (23) and we're happy with the way the ground is. We wouldn't even mind a bit more rain. Some of his form from earlier in the year with horses like Son Of Rest would give him a good chance. He hasn't had any issues. The only reason he hasn't run in a while is because he can't handle quick ground. This race has been the long-term plan and we're looking forward to it."
David Barron - Gunmetal: "I think we'll all a bit wiser about the draw come Saturday afternoon. There looks to be a few fancied ones around us, so we'll see. The horse seems in very good form. We're very happy with him. I'm petrified about the ground. He has some very good form on fast ground and if he can do the same on heavy ground he must be some horse. This will probably be his last run of the season, so we'll give it a go and see what happens."
Declan Carroll - Justanotherbottle: "It's an unfashionable draw (25), but we'll just have to wait and see how it works out. We'll have a better idea after the Bronze and Silver Cups have been run, I suppose. He's in great form and we'll take our chance despite the ground. It wouldn't be his favourite surface, but he hasn't been on it much and ran all right on it at Doncaster early in the year, when it was really soft and our horses weren't in the form they are in now.
"There wouldn't be that much for him left if we didn't run, especially with the money on offer. It's a step into the unknown with the ground, but he's in good order and he ran well at York last time, Limato was entitled to win and he did. We'll roll the dice and give it a shot."
Richard Fahey: Read exclusive column right here
Tim Easterby - Flying Pursuit & Golden Apollo: "Flying Pursuit (drawn three) likes to roll along up in front and when he runs at York he always tends to run better when he's on the left-hand side of the track, " Easterby told Racing UK.
"When I walked the track I felt they maybe had a slight edge on the far side, Golden Apollo (four) likes a bit of juice in the ground and I'd rather be over there. You're always a victim of where the pace is in the race. I'd like to win it. It's a great race worth good money at a fantastic track. We do try to set a few up for it."
Man On The Spot verdict:
Irish-based sprinter Son Of Rest will go close with a repeat of last weekend’s second in the Group 1 Flying Five at the Curragh though Fozzy Stack’s charge steps up in trip for this and there looks better value around. His compatriot G Force could only manage fourth in the 2016 renewal when GROWL finished runner-up and it’s Richard Fahey’s charge that gets another chance. He finished ahead of stablemate Kimberella on that occasion and is taken to reverse last month’s running at Ripon with Gunmetal. The latter also beat Flying Pursuit and Golden Apollo in the Great St Wilfred but would prefer faster going and Tim Easterby’s pair may well turn the tables having occupied the first two places in the Sky Bet Dash at York in July. Aces needs to improve at this level while Teruntum Star may prove best of Kevin Ryan’s four runners.