Ayr Gold Cup result one for the history books

For the first time in over 200 years, the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup finished in a dead-heat on Saturday, as Son Of Rest and Baron Bolt could not be split in Europe’s richest sprint handicap.

In a race for the record books, there had never been an Irish-trained winner of the race in its long history, but Fozzy Stack’s Son Of Rest put that statistic to bed, as the 5/1 favourite came with a winning run up the stands’ rail inside the final furlong.

However, the Paul Cole-trained 28/1 chance Baron Bolt emerged from the chasing pack to mount a serious challenge and the pair were inseparable at the line.

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While Baron Bolt was 2lb wrong at the weights after picking up a 5lb penalty for a win at Goodwood, Cameron Noble’s 5lb claim negated that penalty in a dramatic finish.

Flying Pursuit (12/1) was back in third with Get Knotted (9/1) fourth.

Meanwhile at Newbury, Kessaar(10/3) was an emphatic winner of the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mille Reef Stakes for trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori.

Winner of the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton last time, the son of Kodiac looked to be in trouble two furlongs out as True Mason (4/1) moved smoothly to the front.

However, Dettori was able to cover the move and was back in control at the furlong marker, his willing partner pulling two-and-three-quarter lengths clear of his only serious rival.

The 3/1 favourite Shine So Bright came through for third but was a further two-and-a-quarter lengths adrift.

Gosden said: “I thought he rode a very good race. The second is a lovely horse, but this guy handled the ground. We were worried about the ground, but he did it well. If you hit the ridges wrong at Ripon you lose your rhythm and stride and the horse never got balanced (when sixth in Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy).

“He has won a Group Three last time and a Group Two this time, so we will have to go to a Group One now, which is the next step, but it’s a big step. The Criterium International could be next at Saint-Cloud. It used to be a mile, but they dropped it to seven, so we are all going to Paris.”