The final day of the Ayr Gold Cup Festival with some top-class group racing and the notoriously tricky Silver Cup and Gold Cup. If you can strike here with the Silver Cup and Gold Cup double, you will be doing very well. Interestingly, Graeme Anderson, Clerk of the course says the ground is: ‘good to soft, soft in places and very even right the way across” so no draw bias.

At Newbury, the second day of the Dubai Duty Free Weekend. with the feature the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at 3.25.

Enjoy all the coverage on Racing TV and ITV Racing.

Have a fantastic Saturday.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster  

1.40 Newbury – Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes Group 3 (5f)

Wise Words improved a chunk when fourth at York to Tarboosh and arguably should have won, travelled best and got no run on several occasions. Seems to have been written off as a fluke but is only a four-year-old and might just be he’s improving now. Unibet 8/1 each way

2.30 Ayr – Silver Cup Handicap (6f)

King’s Lynn (nap) is a fascinating handicap debutant for the Andrew Balding team and looks to have been well placed here on a seemingly generous mark of 94. His one start in 2020 when second beaten at odds-on has looked much better since, as the winner Starman won a Listed race at York in great style. Last season King’s Lynn won a twenty-runner contest so is used to the hurly burly of a big field. Providing he shows ground versatility, having only run on good to firm he has a great chance. Unibet 4/1 win

Aberama Gold for trainer Keith Dalgleish won a good nursery at this meeting last year and then took a Listed event (the Rockingham) at York in October. Paid the price for that with inflated handicap mark but coming down in the handicap now and definite signs of improvement on last two starts, particularly from an awful draw at York last time. On this occasion with no forecast draw bias then stall one will be fine and every chance on form. Unibet 18/1 each way

3.25 Newbury – Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes Group 2 (6f)

Rhythm Master Ought to be clear favourite on form, with an emphatic Haydock win on debut and an excellent third in the Group 1 Prix Morny. They have watered the ground so won’t be that quick, which should suit, and is the one to beat. Unibet 11/4 win

3.40 Ayr – QTS Gold Cup Handicap (6f)

Staxton is in much better form than when finishing tenth in this contest in 2019. He has won his last two starts, including the notoriously competitive Great St Wilfrid at Ripon, following a victory at the same course on his previous start. The ground will suit this classy performer, who has dropped the weights and is from the Tim Easterby yard who are on form. Unibet 9/1 each way

Young Fire has to be worth an each way player on his first start over six furlongs. True, he could get taken off his feet over this shorter trip, however he looks well over priced after he turned in a career best at Haydock last time, beating a very progressive sort (that has won again since) with a bit to spare at the finish. Today, importantly, the ground is mainly soft, which will suit and the addition of a visor is interesting too. Unibet 33/1 each way.

What a super Saturday it will be at Newbury, with Altior drawing the crowds for his appearance in the Game Spirit Chase, followed by Native River and Might Bite in the Denman Chase and one of the difficult betting heats of the season with a full field of 24 in the Betfair Handicap Hurdle.
At Warwick, it is Kingmaker Day, which with their Classic Chase in January are their two super Saturdays. A good card ahead as ever with the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novice Chase, a Listed Mares’ Hurdle and strong handicaps too. There is always plenty going on at Warwick between races and the team at the course do a great job of making ideas happen. I’m a big fan of Warwick and well done to all the team, headed up by Andre Klein General Manager for The Jockey Club and Ryan Bronger General Manager for Jockey Club Catering.
Look out for Tommy’s tips too.

Go racing!

1.15 Newbury – Novices’ Hurdle 2m ½f
Tremwedge went into plenty of notebooks after his third to Cerberus and A Wave Of The Sea at Fairyhouse in December, form that’s been well franked since but has since changed yards and now finds himself in the care of Alan King. Interesting that he goes for a novice rather than a juvenile race with him, as his target is surely either the JCB Triumph Hurdle or the Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle. A very interesting contender.
Unibet 9/1 each-way

2.05 Warwick – Agetur Kingmaker Grade 2 Novice Chase 2m
Nube Negra trained by Dan Skelton is a horse I have followed since his juvenile days when third in the Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle in 2018. He was favourite that day and has always indicated that he would be a horse to watch, with his switch to chasing this season paying dividends.
Nube Negra has won here at Warwick, ahead of following up at Fakenham before stepping up to Grade 1 company in the Henry V111 at Sandown when second to Esprit Du Large in December. On that occasion the ground was soft, and today’s conditions will suit more, whilst returning to a left-handed course may suit.
Dan Skelton’s charge has the best form in the race and his jumping will see off the others.
Unibet 6/5 win

3.15 Warwick Castle Handicap Steeple Chase 2m 4f
Most of these are right at the top end of their marks with no wriggle room, but Two Taffs is now just a pound higher than when taking a Listed chase at Ayr two years ago. Since then he’s only been seen out three times, and whilst neither of his starts this season have been under his ideal conditions he did run well for a long way over a longer trip before fading behind De Rocher Counter in the big chase feature at Newbury in November. Today, conditions look sure to suit and with fitness not an issue from Dan Skelton’s yard, Two Taffs can strike here.
Unibet 5/2 win

Newbury – 3.35 Betfair Handicap Hurdle 2m
Stolen Silver for Nigel Twiston-Davies will make a good chaser next year, however in the meantime you couldn’t fail to be impressed with his attitude in the finish when coming with a very late charge at Haydock to win the Grade 2 Rossington Main last month on heavy ground. Stolen Silver will face better ground here, but this will be fast-run and that will help counteract that. Bottom line, young improving horse with a lot going for him.
Unibet 16/1 each-way

Novices have a great record in this contest in the last decade, with Ecco for Paul Nicholls looking a good each-way shout. He is not been overburdened with a rating of 138 on his first handicap and is the type to appreciate a fast-run big-field handicap on drying ground, as he doesn’t always find much off the bridle. Following two wins and a third he was giving 8lb to the winner Fred (who has gone in again) at Kempton on Boxing Day and possibly found the ground a bit against him there.
Unibet 25/1 each-w