Almeric Defies Lengthy Absence To Win Doonside Cup In Style
Almeric put a 158-day absence behind him as he came from last to very first to comfortably land the Ladbrokes "Big Football Bet Builder Boosts" Doonside Cup Stakes at Ayr.
Caviar Heights set the early pace in the Listed event with King's Gambit keeping tabs on him 2 lengths in defaults with champ jockey Oisin Murphy delighted to drop the Andrew Balding-trained Almeric in at the back of the field.
Caviar Heights deteriorated as the race got in the last furlong and a half and Murphy timed his difficulty to perfection and once he asked the question, Almeric glided to the front of the field as the 13-8 favourite won for the third time in 4 starts, 2 and three-quarter lengths clear of King's Gambit.
Murphy informed ITV: "He's obviously a bit ring rusty due to the fact that he's been off the track for a while however he entered the race perfectly but then he probably got to the front a little bit sooner than ideal.
"Obviously with the time off the track he ought to be sharper on his next start.
"We have actually constantly liked him he's the most stunning design.
Almeric wins the Doonside Cup at Ayr (Steve Welsh/PA)
"He's got a best record having won his last 3 starts and he ran well on debut. When you make racehorses this is what they are expected to look like."
The Richard Spencer-trained Candy made all to win the Ladbrokes Ayr Silver Cup.
The field split coming out of the stalls with the George Wood-ridden Candy striking the front on the near side, with his chief rivals battling it out on the far side of the course.
Sondad was overcoming Eye Of Dubai going into the final half furlong, but Wood was constantly in command and the 8-1 saw off Sondad by one and three-quarter lengths.
Spencer said: "It's great, George gets on really well with him, the ground is the essential too him. He appears to just enjoy it and has a high travelling speed and simply keeps it going. I'm definitely pleased. Hopefully we'll be returning here next year for the huge one."
Owner Phil Cunningham included: "It's the sort of horse, specifically in a field like that, that he's not too hard to area. You know how's he going to run. He's going to come off the front and what a significant training efficiency. It was incredible, definitely fantastic."
Thunder Roar hit the front a furlong from home and held on to win the Ladbrokes "Free Bet At Ayr" Handicap, while the Richard Hughes-trained Nobody Knows got up to win the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes to provide Murphy a double.