David O’Meara landed a hat-trick of Ayr Gold Cup’s and it a second for Ayrshire-born Danny Tudhope, as Pellitory took the track’s flagship prize.
The fixture itself was in danger, following a deluge of rain in the morning. Racing was delayed for over an hour to determine whether the track was race-able. David O’Meara will have been hoping for racing to go ahead, as conditions were going to suit his mount.
The crucial race winning move was from the off by Danny Tudhope. Immediately switched from his nearside draw to the far-side, Pellitory travelled strongly toward the rear. Tudhope hit the front inside the final furlong, slicing through the mud, and never looked in danger of losing.
Tuco Salamanca continued his impressive season to follow him home in second, and the pair pulled nicely clear of a tiring field. Flash Harry and Fine Interview ran with enormous credit on what appeared to be the unfavourable near-side.
Speaking to the Racing Post, local winning jockey Danny Tudhope said: “I couldn’t believe it even when I won it the first time. I t was one of the bucket-list races to win. When I won it a few years ago on Summerghand, I was the first Scottish-born jockey doing it in 50 years. So to win it a second time is fantastic. I’m immensely proud and it’s quite overwhelming, really.
“This is the biggest meeting at Ayr all year, so any winner is good. But to win this big one, that’s the one you want more than anything. That’s owner Evan Sutherland’s second win, too, and it’s David’s third. I just need to catch up with him now, don’t I?”
Sutherland won the contest with Highland Colori in 2013, coincidentally, beating the O’Meara trained Louis The Pious with Tudhope in the saddle, with the runner up going on to win the race a year later.
“This was the target, we haven’t thought beyond this” – David O’Meara
It was a third Ayr Gold Cup for David O’Meara, and a second success for Pellitory in his new yard. O’Meara told the Press Association, via At The Races: “Dandy Nicholls has won it six times and Kevin Ryan five so we’re a long way off that yet!
“I was a bit concerned about the draw (16) after the Silver Cup. But we knew a few were going far side so decided to go with them. We thought he’d like the ground and the lad who rides him at home said a tongue strap might help. You needed to stay well in that ground to win today.”
Pellitory was purchased for 52,000gns at the HIT sales last Autumn, and he’s certainly paid connections back and then some.
O’Meara continued: “Evan and I were chatting about a month ago and I said to him, ‘if I’m going to win the Ayr Gold Cup it will be with your horse’. He’d won it before so he’s won it twice now.
“This was the target, we haven’t thought beyond this.”