Ayr Gold Cup

The Ayr Gold Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ayr over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

History

The event was established in 1804, and it was originally held at Ayr's former racecourse at Belleisle. In the early part of its history it was restricted to horses bred and trained in Scotland. It was initially contested over two separate heats of two miles, and was subsequently a single race with a two-mile distance.

The Ayr Gold Cup became a handicap in 1855, and it was shortened to about a mile in 1870. The Belleisle track closed in 1907, and the race was relocated and cut to 6 furlongs in 1908.

The lightest winning weight in the race since it became a sprint is 6 st 13 lb (44 kg). This was carried to victory by Marmaduke Jinks in 1936. The heaviest is 10 st (63½ kg), the burden of Roman Warrior in 1975. The latter horse, trained at Ayr by Nigel Angus, is the most recent winner trained in Scotland.

The field for the Ayr Gold Cup is formed from the highest-weighted horses entered for the race. The maximum number of runners is currently twenty-seven. Those eliminated are now offered the chance to compete in the Ayr Silver Cup, a consolation race introduced in 1992. An event for horses excluded from ''that'' race, the Ayr Bronze Cup, was established in 2009.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):
* Dazzle – ''1889, 1890, 1891''

Leading jockey (4 wins):
* Tom Nicholson – ''Dominie Skelp (1827), Brunswick (1830), Gondolier (1831), Masetto (1834)''
* William Noble – ''Despot (1836), The Doctor (1840), The Recorder (1842), The Shadow (1843)''
: ''(note: the jockeys of some of the early winners are unknown)''

Leading trainer (15 wins):
* Tom Dawson – ''Inheritor (1835, 1838), Despot (1836, 1837), The Doctor (1840), Doctor Caius (1841), The Recorder (1842), The Shadow (1843, 1844), Inheritress (1845, 1846), Stilton (1852), Itch (1854), Tabouret (1868), Good Hope (1869)''
: ''(note: the trainers of some of the early winners are unknown)''

Winners since 1980

* ''Weights given in stones and pounds.''

Earlier winners

* 1804: Chancellor
* 1805: Chancellor
* 1806: Young Newbyth
* 1807: Juno
* 1808: Young Daffodil
* 1809: Bit of Tartan
* 1810: ''colt by John Bull''
* 1811: Ayrshire Lass
* 1812: Ardrossan
* 1813: Snodgrass
* 1814: Ardrossan
* 1815: Marquis
* 1816: Kate Kearney
* 1817: Glengary
* 1818: Sans Culottes
* 1819: Monreith
* 1820: Chance
* 1821: ''colt by Stamford''
* 1822: ''colt by Viscount''
* 1823: Lancer
* 1824: Stratherne
* 1825: Lancer
* 1826: Robin Hood
* 1827: Dominie Skelp
* 1828: Mary
* 1829: Spadassin
* 1830: Brunswick
* 1831: Gondolier
* 1832: Vyvyan
* 1833: Philip
* 1834: Masetto
* 1835: Inheritor
* 1836: Despot
* 1837: Despot
* 1838: Inheritor
* 1839: Lanercost
* 1840: The Doctor
* 1841: Doctor Caius
* 1842: The Recorder
* 1843: The Shadow
* 1844: The Shadow
* 1845: Inheritress
* 1846: Inheritress
* 1847: Eryx
* 1848: Chanticleer
* 1849: Glen Saddel
* 1850: Elthiron
* 1851: Elthiron
* 1852: Stilton
* 1853: Testator
* 1854: Itch
* 1855: John Dory
* 1856: The Assayer
* 1857: Gathercole
* 1858: Trip the Daisy
* 1859: Susannah
* 1860: Greta
* 1861: Bloomsbury
* 1862: Little Captain
* 1863: Bohemian
* 1864: Newchurch
* 1865: Nothing More
* 1866: Fitzroy
* 1867: Miss Havelock
* 1868: Tabouret
* 1869: Good Hope
* 1870: Lady of Lyons
* 1871: Irregularity
* 1872: Alaric
* 1873: Lord Derby
* 1874: Servia
* 1875: Munden
* 1876: Coltness
* 1877: Ivy
* 1878: Sutler
* 1879: Umbria
* 1880: Strathblane
* 1881: Heath Bird
* 1882: Tita
* 1883: Tibicen
* 1884: Perdita
* 1885: Daylight
* 1886: Daylight
* 1887: Mirth
* 1888: Reverie
* 1889: Dazzle
* 1890: Dazzle
* 1891: Dazzle
* 1892: Horton
* 1893: Once More
* 1894: Mimram
* 1895: Linton
* 1896: Athel
* 1897: Athel
* 1898: Gyp
* 1899: Portebella
* 1900: Child Waters
* 1901: Caedmon
* 1902: Lovetin
* 1903: Kirkbride
* 1904: King's Birthday
* 1905: Kilglass
* 1906: Cyrus
* 1907: Charis
* 1908: Raeberry
* 1909: Alwine
* 1910: Raeberry
* 1911: Saucy John
* 1912: Grammont
* 1913: Borrow
* 1914–16: ''no race''
* 1917: Wayward
* 1918: ''no race''
* 1919: Beresina
* 1920: Forest Guard
* 1921: Self Sacrifice
* 1922: Soldennis
* 1923: Baydon
* 1924: Westmead
* 1925: Phalaros
* 1926: Lord Wembley
* 1927: Martenax
* 1928: Nothing Venture
* 1929: Tommy Atkins
* 1930: Heronslea
* 1931: Heronslea
* 1932: Solenoid
* 1933: Ken Hill
* 1934: Figaro
* 1935: Greenore
* 1936: Marmaduke Jinks
* 1937: Daytona
* 1938: Old Reliance
* 1939–45: ''no race''
* 1946: Royal Charger
* 1947: Kilbelin
* 1948: Como
* 1949: Irish Dance
* 1950: First Consul
* 1951: Fair Seller
* 1952: Vatellus
* 1953: Blue Butterfly
* 1954: Orthopaedic
* 1955: Hook Money
* 1956: Precious Heather
* 1957: Jacintha
* 1958: Rhythmic
* 1959: Whistling Victor
* 1960: Dawn Watch
* 1961: Klondyke Bill
* 1962: Janeat
* 1963: Egualita
* 1964: Compensation
* 1965: Kamundu
* 1966: Milesius
* 1967: Be Friendly
* 1968: Petite Path
* 1969: Brief Star
* 1970: John Splendid
* 1971: Royben
* 1972: Swinging Junior
* 1973: Blue Cashmere
* 1974: Somersway
* 1975: Roman Warrior
* 1976: Last Tango
* 1977: Jon George
* 1978: Great
* 1979: Primula Boy

See also

* Horse racing in Great Britain
* List of British flat horse races

References

* Paris-Turf:
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* Racing Post:
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galopp-sieger.de
– ''Ayr Gold Cup.''

pedigreequery.com
– ''Ayr Gold Cup – Ayr.''
*
* Race Recording


{{Race Meeting, Ayr Gold Cup Festival, Turf, state=expanded

Flat races in Great Britain
Ayr Racecourse
Open sprint category horse races
Recurring sporting events established in 1804
Sports competitions in Scotland
1804 establishments in Scotland