A late deluge of rain threatened the 2026 Ayr Gold Cup fixture. While other races on the card were delayed, the feature event started almost on time. Despite the deteriorating ground conditions, only one horse was withdrawn, leaving a near-maximum 24-runner field.
Having traded as the clear favourite throughout the week, Binhareer remained solid in the market on the day. Last sighted finishing a close fourth in Group 3 company, he looked dangerous for William Haggas. Binhareer was joined at the head of affairs by Far Above Dream, who had lost out by just a nose in the Constantine Handicap at York on his most recent start. Racing off an unchanged mark, he looked set to go well for Jason Hart.
The only other runner to start at a single-figure price was the Andrew Balding challenger Dance In The Storm. As a four-time winner over 7f, he looked one of the runners most likely to finish with a flourish in the arduous conditions.
Among those available to back at bigger prices, Richard Spencer’s Run Boy Run arrived as the defending champion. Stablemate Twilight Calls had Saffie Osborne in the saddle, with the 24-year-old arriving fresh from a history-making St. Leger success. The David O’Meara-trained Pellitory was one of the big gambles on the day. Available to back at 50/1 on the morning of the race, the four-year-old started at odds of just 12/1.
Result
- 1st – Pellitory 12/1, Jockey: Daniel Tudhope, Trainer: David O’Meara
- 2nd – Tuco Salamanca 16/1, Jockey: Marco Ghiani, Trainer: Joseph Ollie Sangster
- 3rd – Flash Harry 28/1, Jockey: Paul Mulrennan, Trainer: Clive Cox
- 4th – Fine Interview 12/1, Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: Hamad Al Jehani
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £92,772
- 2nd – £43,506
- 3rd – £21,762
- 4th – £10,872
- 5th – £5,436
- 6th – £2,718
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – £15.60
- Tote Places – 1st – £3.60, 2nd – £4.40, 3rd – £6.30, 4th – £3.60
- Exacta – £327.90
- Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) – £203.72
- Trifecta – £9,178.50
- Tricast – £5,385.93
Recap
As is often the case in the Ayr Gold Cup, the field split into two distinct groups when the stalls opened. Nine jockeys kept their mounts towards the stands’ side rail, but the bulk of the runners raced together on the far side.
Volterra, Rock On Thunder, and Two Tribes were among those to seize the initiative on the far side. The centrally drawn Candy and the well-fancied Far Above Dream also gained a prominent position. The smaller near-side group lagged a little behind after a furlong, with the Wathnan Racing runner Evening Saigon and 2025 winner Run Boy Run leading the way.
Approaching halfway, the far-side group still held the advantage. Red Spells Danger joined Volterra, Rock On Thunder, and Two Tribes in a battle for the lead, but all four looked under pressure. Far Above Dream moved well towards their outside, with Dance In The Storm and Pellitory catching the eye in the chasing pack.
Towards the near side, Flash Harry and Paul Mulrennan made their bid for glory to move clear of the chasing pack. Evening Saigon was finding it all too much in the conditions, but fellow Wathnan runner Fine Interview emerged as a threat.
Passing the furlong pole, the far-side group maintained the advantage, but the early pacesetters began to pay for their exertions. With Rock On Thunder, Volterra, and Two Tribes dropping away, Pellitory and Bodhi Bear swept to the head of affairs.
While Bodhi Bear’s challenge quickly fizzled out, Pellitory maintained his effort to move a length clear. Slipstreaming past Bodhi Bear, Tuco Salamanca was the only horse to go with him. Sticking on resolutely, the Ollie Sangster runner closed the gap to half a length but would get no closer. Responding to the Tudhope drive, Pellitory saw the trip out well to land a significant gamble. Flash Harry finished a length clear of Fine Interview on the near side, as the duo took third and fourth, just ahead of Dance In The Storm.
This represented a third win in the race for Yorkshire-based handler David O’Meara. Daniel Tudhope claimed the Ayr Gold Cup for a second time, having partnered the O’Meara-trained Summerghand to victory in 2022.
Runners
- 1. Spycatcher – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Karl Burke, Jockey: Clifford Lee
- 2. Volterra – SP: 14/1, Trainer: Kevin Ryan, Jockey: Kevin Stott
- 3. Aramram – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Richard Hannon, Jockey: Joe Leavy
- 4. Tuco Salamanca – SP: 16/1, Trainer: Ollie Sangster, Jockey: Marco Ghiani
- 5. Stratusnine – SP: 10/1, Trainer: Hugo Palmer, Jockey: Conor Whiteley
- 6. Two Tribes – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Richard Spencer, Jockey: David Egan
- 7. Binhareer – SP: 4/1J, Trainer: William Haggas, Jockey: Tom Marquand
- 8. Wiltshire – SP: 66/1, Trainer: William Haggas, Jockey: Oisin Orr
- 9. Rock On Thunder – SP: 80/1, Trainer: Kevin Ryan, Jockey: Jack Callan
- 10. Flash Harry – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Clive Cox, Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
- 11. Evening Saigon – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Hamad Al Jehani, Jockey: Faleh Bughenaim
- 12. Run Boy Run – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Richard Spencer, Jockey: George Wood
- 13. Far Above Dream – SP: 4/1J, Trainer: James Owen, Jockey: Jason Hart
- 14. Dance In The Storm – SP: 9/2, Trainer: Andrew Balding, Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- 15. Bodhi Bear – SP: 40/1, Trainer: J.A. Stack, Jockey: Sam James
- 16. Fine Interview – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Hamad Al Jehani, Jockey: James Doyle
- 17. Caburn – SP: 50/1, Trainer: James Tate, Jockey: Dylan Hogan
- 18. Pellitory – SP: 12/1, Trainer: David O’Meara, Jockey: Daniel Tudhope
- 19. Candy – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Richard Spencer, Jockey: Ryan Sexton
- 20. Fandom – Non-runner
- 21. Ardisia – SP: 22/1, Trainer: Hugo Palmer, Jockey: Warren Fentiman
- 22. Fahrenheit Seven – SP: 150/1, Trainer: Robert Cowell, Jockey: Oliver Stammers
- 23. Red Spells Danger – SP: 16/1, Trainer: Tim Easterby, Jockey: David Allan
- 24. Hammer The Hammer – SP: 33/1, Trainer: Kevin Ryan, Jockey: Tom Eaves
- 25. Twilight Calls – SP: 18/1, Trainer: Richard Spencer, Jockey: Saffie Osborne
Non-Runners
Fandom (unsuitable ground).