Spotlight On The 2018 Ayr Gold Cup

The Ayr Gold Cup is a 6f handicap race open to horses aged three or older and is staged at Ayr Racecourse.

The maximum permitted field of 27 is put together from the highest-rated horses entered. Any horses that do not make the race are given the option to run in the consolation races – the Ayr Silver and Bronze Cups.

Since 1980 there have been just two winning favourites of Scotland’s richest handicap race which will make depressing reading for favourite backers.

25 runners go to post this Saturday for this feature race that goes off at 3.50pm (GMT).

Here is your full 888sport runner-by-runner guide...

PERFECT PASTURE

Perfect Pasture ran out a ready winner of the Cammidge Trophy, the first race of the new Flat season at Doncaster at the start of the season.

He has won thirteen career races and goes on the all weather and turf to equal effect. A 48-day break should have sharpened him up after a disappointing run at Chester.

GEORGE BOWEN

George Bowen has been running consistently well this season and he was the impressive winner of the Scottish Steward’s Cup at Hamilton.

He has been contesting all the major handicaps this year and has been on the premises in most of them.

 

ICE AGE

Winner of the Sprint Finale at Windsor in July and ran just last weekend at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend.

He finished fourth in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon which was also promising run.

 

JUSTANOTHERBOTTLE

The four-year-old was just touched off by Gifted Master at Goodwood in the Stewards’ Cup and will be pleased to be back in this company after running behind Limato last time at York.

 

KIMBERELLA

Also ran behind Limato the other day at York and is somewhat of a sprint specialist. He won a Listed race this season and off a mark of 105 looks well in here.

 

GUNMETAL

The winner of this year’s Great St Wilfrid after bagging the rail and never looking back under his jockey Joe Fanning.

However, there must be concerns about the ground for him on Saturday afternoon.

 

MAJOR JUMBO

If there were prizes handed out for consistency this season then Kevin Ryan’s four-year-old would be at the front of queue.

It would come as no surprise to see him top and tail his season with another win here given Ryan’s run of form at the moment.

 

SON OF REST

Son Of Rest is bidding to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Ayr Gold Cup and will also have to overcome the current hoodoo on favourites in this contest.

Beaten just half a length by Havana Grey in the Group One Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh last Sunday, some punters believe that he is thrown in here. 

 

G FORCE

Former Group One sprinter G Force is the second of two Irish raiders taking their place in the field. The seven-year-old should have no issues with the ground and could be a lively outsider.

 

BARON BOLT

A consistent horse this term with decent form lines that tie in with Gifted Master. He won at Goodwood last time out and his jockey takes off a valuable 5lbs.

 

MUNTADAB

Soft-ground specialist Muntadab has proved popular with punters all week given conditions that have been forecast.

Whether the rain reignites a relatively poor season for the six-year-old remains to be seen.

 

FLYING PURSUIT

Flying Pursuit loves a bit of juice in the ground and loves the track. Winner of the Sky Bet Dash at York in July, he is among the market leaders for the £200,000 sprint handicap.

The five-year-old arrives on the back of finishing sixth in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid.

 

SUMMERGHAND

Won on his return at Chelmsford off a mark of 78 back in April and has not looked back. 6f on soft ground should hold no fears for the four-year-old and he could easily go unnoticed in the betting at a big price.

 

NAADIRR

A very decent performer back in the day ran a belter in a Group 3 in Italy back in May. Has performed well in soft conditions before and should give his Middleham Park owners a decent afternoon out.

 

GROWL

Richard Fahey believes Growl needs slower ground than he has been encountering this season and his last three runs at York, Goodwood and Ripon have been monsters given the circumstances.

He beat everyone but Brando in this race in 2016 and the rain should again play its part in his proximity to the front.

 

GOLDEN APOLLO

The four-year-old has been putting in solid performances all this year but ran rather flat at Doncaster last weekend in the Portland Handicap.

The suspicion is that the season has finally caught up with him.

 

STAXTON

Just two three-year-olds have landed this prize since the turn of the millennium but the horse does boast some very strong form this season.

The going should not be an issue and the youngster should run well for the Tim Easterby stable.

 

TERUNTUM STAR

He was reasonably fancied for this race in 2016 but finished stone last. Has shown very little this season but the going does offer him a glimmer of hope as he does go on it.

 

ACES

Scored an excellent win at Epsom on Derby Day when coming wide, late and fast under Silvestre De Sousa. He backed that up with another good win, that time under top weight at Newmarket in June.

He looks more of a good ground horse if anything so the forecast is worrying.

 

GORING

Set off in fine style this season registering two wins on the All-Weather but his form has gone backwards since. Not an obvious candidate.

 

TOMMY TAYLOR

Owned by Mrs Angie Bailey who won this race in 2016 with Brando.

Tommy Taylor has run some decent races this season but without winning and has won on the soft before. Gets into this on a nice mark and could outrun his odds.

 

GET KNOTTED

A two-time winner at Ayr and has won at the track in these conditions. Ran poorly in a competitive handicap at York last time but is not one to write off just yet.

 

BRIAN THE SNAIL

A Godolphin owned horse that is proving very frustrating to follow. Won a decent 6f race at Doncaster in June but has finished nearer last than first in all his other races this season.

 

TANASOQ

Won four races on the bounce over the summer but appears to be crying out for his winter break if his last two performances are anything to go by.

 

UPSTAGING

Ran a decent second to Ice Age in the Windsor Sprint Finale Handicap but has struggled ever since.

 

CONCLUSION

A difficult race to unpick but the going is sure to have a major part to play in proceedings.

The Ontoawinner syndicates appear to be holding a strong hand in this field and it may pay to follow their trio of runners as they all have proven form on the soft.

888sport suggests: Flying Pursuit, G Force and Staxton (all e/w).

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

September 21, 2018
Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

Steve Mullington
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    Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

    He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.

    Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?

    He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations. 

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    John Cross EXCLUSIVE: Europa League is the only path back to Champions League football for Arsenal

    UNAI EMERY looks to have got the measure of the Europa League. Ultimately, maybe his record in the competition is what tipped the balance in his favor when Arsenal appointed him in the summer.

    This is a manager who won the Europa League three times in a row while at Sevilla, elevating them into the Champions League.

    That must be, realistically, Arsenal’s best chance this season of getting back into European football’s premier competition because the top four already looks tough. Liverpool and Chelsea have made perfect starts, Manchester City will take some stopping and Manchester United and Tottenham are arguably further down the road than Arsenal.

    It leaves Arsenal with an interesting dilemma as to how to approach the Europa League, particularly in the Group stages. Judging by Emery’s words and mood, it will be a mixture of youth and experience, a bit of rotation and yet ultimately a little bit stronger than last season under Arsene Wenger who effectively had one team for Europe and another for the Premier League.

    But I think Emery feels that if you do send out a "B team" in the Europa League - even in the Group stages - that sends a negative message for the rest of the competition. That you're not taking it very seriously. And I make him right.

    Arsenal looks like a team in transition, they have got weaknesses in the squad which can potentially undermine the strengths in attack. Also, while Emery’s tactics take hold, the defense will get exposed by Arsenal playing a “high line” and the demand for the keeper to play out from the back.

    It could be a season to mirror Arsenal’s start to the Premier League: ups and downs, good wins and some sobering defeats. Arsenal has got some decent youngsters coming through - including Emile Smith-Rowe - who may get some game time in the Europa League.

    They can also give Bernd Leno some much-needed game time. His distribution may be better but Petr Cech is still ahead of him in goalkeeping terms. But generally, Emery will have a familiar spine running through his Europa League line-ups. He is demanding in training and there is no let up in games. It will be an unforgiving and unrelenting season. 

    “I have proven with my experience to know the best way to manage the players,” said Emery last week. "My idea first isn’t to change 11 players for one competition and the next competition. Each match is giving us information about how we can play.

    "The first year I won in the Europa League, [you] didn’t play in the Champions League because these laws change for the second Europe League. “When we opened this possibility that, when you win the Europa League, you play in the Champions League, this I think is the key to improve the interest and possibility in this competition.”

    Emery has a very clear plan for the Europa League and that may be his best chance of regaining Champions League football which is Arsenal’s No1 target this season.
    September 20, 2018
    Football

    By 888sport

    888sport
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    The 888sport blog is here to offer betting and tipping advice on the biggest sports fixtures, events and competitions around the world.

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    AFC Bournemouth Top Latest Premier League Accumulator

    It might have been an all-action week of football, but there’s still something special about the Saturday 3pms.

    Sitting down for Soccer Saturday (or whichever of those shows you watch) and getting frantic updates is a part of a football fans’ routine.

    Without further ado, let's take a look at four of the Premier League’s Saturday 3pm kick-offs.

     

    Burnley vs AFC BOURNEMOUTH

    Burnley’s run of defying all logic and expectations looks to have come to an end. The Clarets have one point from five this season, are out of Europe, and were completely outplayed by Wolves last weekend.

    Sean Dyche is facing possibly the biggest test of his managerial career. If he does not adapt, Burnley could be cut adrift.

    Bournemouth have already built a handy cushion to the bottom three. Eddie Howe’s side have not had the easier start to the year but have won three of five and have scored as many goals as Arsenal and Tottenham. Their frontline looks hard to stop at the moment.

    The Clarets were formidable at home last season. Bournemouth have a tendency for off-days. Despite that, you just cannot look past the form book here. The Cherries should take at least a point from Turf Moor.

    TIP: Bournemouth to win or draw @ 4/9

    PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 1-2 Bournemouth (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

     

    CRYSTAL PALACE vs Newcastle United

    It’s quite simple for Crystal Palace. When Wilfried Zaha plays, they’re a mid-table side. When he doesn’t, they’re relegation fodder.

    This was proved again away at Huddersfield last time out. Other than Zaha, Palace offered little, but that was okay because Zaha tormented the Terriers all afternoon and scored a beauty.

    Newcastle’s one point from five matches doesn’t tell the full story. The Magpies have lost four, but they have all been against top six sides and the performances have been okay.

    The attack is still limited, but it should improve when freed up a little more for a match like this. Rafa Benitez will probably still be happy with a draw, mind.  This might be decided by a single goal and there’s a good chance it involves Zaha.

    TIP: Zaha to score in a Crystal Palace win @ 3/1

    PREDICTED SCORE: Palace 1-0 Newcastle (Priced at 23/4 with 888sport)

     

    LEICESTER CITY vs Huddersfield Town

    It’s been an up and down start to the season for Leicester. Back-to-back wins have been followed by two defeats. The 4-2 loss to Bournemouth last weekend will have caused concern for Claude Puel, who saw his side ripped apart in the first half.

    Home defeat to Crystal Palace last Saturday kept Huddersfield in the bottom three. David Wagner’s side are yet to win a league match this season and, if anything, look even shorter of ideas in the final third than they did in 2017/18.

    Leicester have conceded nine so far this season, but their defence does not have much to be worried about this weekend.

    The hosts are a tough side to predict. It’s been a real mixed bag so far, but the Foxes have the quality to get a win here. Huddersfield are in trouble.

    TIP: Leicester City to win @ 3/5

    PREDICTED SCORE: Leicester 2-0 Huddersfield (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

     

    LIVERPOOL vs SOUTHAMPTON

    Liverpool are on the highest of highs. They have won their first five league matches and beat PSG with a dramatic stoppage time winner on Tuesday night.

    Jurgen Klopp’s side are rolling at the moment. Fatigue is the only thing that could stop them here.

    Southampton’s second half collapse at home to Brighton was as unsurprising as it was poor. Mark Hughes’ sides have a terrible record at holding onto leads. A defence that disorganised could be in for a very long 90 minutes at Anfield, even if Klopp opts to rotate.

    Liverpool are strong favourites to make it six wins in six. Anything else would be a massive shock, particularly with how Southampton are playing.

    TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/9

    PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 4-1 Southampton (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)

     

    *Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

    September 20, 2018
    Premier League
    Body

    Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

    He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

    Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

    Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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    Premier League: Craven Cottage Goal Fest Tops Saturday's Televised Double

    What a week of football it has been. We have had matches every single weekday night, which has helped distract from the nights closing in and the autumnal weather.

    European action has been the focus for the past few days, but Premier League football continues this weekend. Saturday’s two televised matches get our attention here...

    FULHAM vs WATFORD

    Watford have overachieved so far, while Fulham have fallen short after an exciting transfer window.

    The Hornets lead the west London club by eight points, despite falling to home defeat to Manchester United last weekend. Javi Gracia’s side were a little unlucky to get anything from the match. Fulham, meanwhile, were thrashed by Manchester City.

    Fulham’s only win of the season came against Burnley at Craven Cottage. This is the kind of march that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side really have to win if they are to have a comfortable campaign.

    Watford won their only away league match so far this season, but that was admittedly against a struggling Burnley side as well.

    The hosts have looked a decent side when going forward. Aleksandar Mitrovic has been the player we saw in the Championship, a dominant, powerful striker capable of scoring 15 Premier League goals.

    Defensively, though, it’s been pretty bleak. Fulham have the most expected goals against so far and have conceded 12 in five matches. Watford to score over 1.5 is 13/10.

    As ever, the midfield will be where this is won, however. Watford have been rock solid in the middle third. Abdoulaye Doucoure has been immense, and Roberto Pereyra has shown the quality that earned him a spell at Juventus.

    Fulham have talent of their own in midfield, notably Jean Seri who has shown flashes of brilliance, but they have failed to protect their defence. Pereyra could find a lot of space between the lines.

    Goals are the safest bet with Fulham involved. They have the players to outplay Watford, but they have already shown themselves to be unpredictable.

    Home advantage tips the scales in Fulham’s favour if you have to pick a winner. It would be hard to argue against a draw, though.

    TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 10/13

    PREDICTED SCORE: Fulham 2-2 Watford (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

     

    BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs Tottenham Hotspur

    The mood surrounding these two clubs is quite different.

    Brighton are on a high after a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Southampton on Monday night, while Tottenham are edging towards a mini crisis after three straight defeats, including a complete capitulation at San Siro on Tuesday night.

    Mauricio Pochettino is not exactly a man under pressure. He has built up several seasons of credit at Tottenham after all.

    His trouble, though, is that his midfield is struggling to assert itself in matches and Harry Kane still looks like a man with cement in his boots.

    Kane is simply not shooting enough. The England captain was shooting at least four times per match in recent seasons, but that number is under 2.5 this term.

    Brighton were abysmal in the first half of Monday night football, but Chris Hughton worked his magic at half-time and they were a different animal in the second 45. Glenn Murray played hero again for the south coast club.

    The Seagulls won’t cause Spurs problems with pressing like Liverpool and Inter did, but Murray provides his own challenges for a Tottenham back line that has looked uncertain. Murray is a solid price at 11/5 to score anytime.

    Tottenham’s troubles at the base of their midfield could also give opportunities for Pascal Gross to influence the match.

    Gross played a big role for Hughton’s side last season with a combination of intelligent movement and good decision making. He has a knack for getting into goal scoring positions and is a more than capable provider for Murray.

    Brighton lost just four times at home in the league last season. Hughton has his team well-drilled and spirits will be high after Monday’s result. Tottenham are in desperate need of a spark and could be in for a difficult evening on the south coast.  

    TIP: Brighton to win or draw @ 11/10

    PREDICTED SCORE: Brighton 2-1 Tottenham (Priced at 12/1 with 888sport)

     

    *Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

    September 19, 2018
    Premier League
    Body

    Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

    He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

    Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

    Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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