Almeric Defies Lengthy Absence To Win Doonside Cup In Style
Almeric put a 158-day absence behind him as he originated 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 occasion with King's Gambit keeping tabs on him two lengths in financial obligations with champion jockey Oisin Murphy pleased to drop the Andrew Balding-trained Almeric in at the back of the field.
Caviar Heights damaged as the race got in the last furlong and a half and Murphy timed his obstacle to perfection and when he asked the concern, Almeric moved to the front of the field as the 13-8 favourite won for the third time in 4 starts, 2 and clear of King's Gambit.
Murphy informed ITV: "He's undoubtedly a bit ring rusty since he's been off the track for a while but he entered the race nicely however then he probably got to the front a little bit quicker than ideal.
"Obviously with the time off the track he ought to be sharper on his next start.
"We have actually constantly enjoyed him he's the most beautiful design.
Almeric wins the Doonside Cup at Ayr (Steve Welsh/PA)
"He's almost got a perfect record having actually won his last 3 starts and he ran well on launching. When you make racehorses this is what they are supposed 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 hitting the front on the near side, with his primary rivals fighting it out on the far side of the course.
Sondad was overcoming Eye Of Dubai getting in the last half furlong, but Wood was always in command and the 8-1 saw off Sondad by one and three-quarter lengths.
Spencer said: "It's excellent, George gets on actually well with him, the ground is the essential too him. He appears to simply enjoy it and has a high travelling speed and simply keeps it going. I'm absolutely pleased. Hopefully we'll be coming back here next year for the big one."
Owner Phil Cunningham added: "It's the sort of horse, particularly in a field like that, that he's not too tough to spot. You know how's he going to run. He's going to come off the front and what a remarkable training efficiency. It was amazing, absolutely amazing."
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 give Murphy a double.