Tag Archive for: American Affair

Portland hero Affair hunting Gold again at Ayr

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American Affair is bidding to back up his Portland victory and provide a tonic for trainer Jim Goldie in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup Handicap on Saturday.

The four-year-old has been on the up all season and finished in the money in all seven starts over five to five and a half furlongs.

His mark has risen from 70 to a current rating of 94, with his last performance a career-best so far as he triumphed at Doncaster under Paul Mulrennan to take home the winning pot of over £50,000.

That run was only last weekend and after a quick turnaround he will carry a 5lb penalty for the success, making his total allocation 9st 2lb for the 25-runner event.

Should he be successful, he will become the first Scottish-trained winner since Roman Warrior in 1975 and will complete the set of Ayr cups for Mulrennan after his prior wins in the silver and bronze races.

Goldie has two chances in the race with Jordan Electrics also set to partake, but the trainer will have to look on from home as he recovers from a hip operation.

Mulrennan said: “I’m really looking forward to riding him, he was very good in the Portland and a change of tactics seemed to suit him.

“He’s a sprinter on the upgrade, he’s done nothing but improve all year.

“It’s a race I’ve always wanted to win, it’s our Royal Ascot, the Gold Cup up here, so it’d be great to win it.

“Jim’s recovering at home so it’d be great for him, I’m not sure he’s going to make it up.

“Scotland haven’t had a Gold Cup winner since 1975 so it’d be brilliant to do it for him, I’ve a Bronze Cup and a Silver Cup so I’ve just the one missing.

“Jim’s a real character, he’s a very good trainer and we had a couple of winners on Thursday, so the horses are in form.

“I had a hard choice to make because I could have ridden Northern Express or Jordan Electrics, so fingers crossed.”

Mick Appleby’s Billyjoh brings with him some good form in valuable handicaps having finished second in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot and third in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.

He will be ridden by Alistair Rawlinson from stall 18 for his 15th start of a busy and profitable season.

Billyjoh at Haydock
Billyjoh at Haydock (Richard Sellers/PA)

“The track and trip should suit him and the ground will be all right for him. Obviously it’s a tough race, the Ayr Gold Cup, but he’s going there in good order and hopefully should have a decent chance,” said Appleby.

“He seems to like the bigger fields, the draw shouldn’t be a problem and there’s a bit of pace around him which will suit.”

Kevin Ryan has four horses set to line up, with Aleezdancer carrying the silks of co-owner Jack Berry for his third tilt at the race.

The five-year-old would prefer a soft surface and appreciate any rain if it were to materialise, with his 2023 effort seeing him beaten only three lengths when 12th on good to soft going.

“He would have a fair chance, but he likes some give in the ground,” said Berry, who retired from training himself in 2000.

Beverley Races – Tuesday May 11th 2021
Aleezdancer winning at Beverley in 2021 (Mike Egerton/PA)

“When he ran in the Stewards’ Cup last year he finished fifth but he actually won his race on his side. It’s annoying when that happens, it happened to me when I was training and Pivotal beat Mind Games in the King’s Stand!

“If there’s give in the ground I think he’s got a squeak. At the end of last season he ran at York in a race won by Montassib who is now a Group One winner, so it just shows you need a Group horse to win these races.

“When we won the Ayr Gold Cup in 1988 with So Careful, he was bottom-weight off 72 – he’d only just scrape into the Bronze Cup these days!

“It would be very poignant if he won as So Careful’s owner Tommy Doherty died last week, so I’d dedicate it to his memory.”



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Ayr aim for Portland victor American Affair

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Jim Goldie’s Portland winner American Affair is set for a quick turnaround in Saturday’s Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup.

Goldie secured a big race double at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, winning the Mallard Handicap with Faylaq and the Portland with the rapidly improving American Affair.

Goldie is also likely to run another huge improver, Jordan Electrics, who has been the subject of a 30lb rise in the weights this season as an eight-year-old.

The big winners provided a nice fillip to the genial Scot, who is currently recuperating having had a hip replacement operation.

American Affair(far left in yellow) was delivered late by Paul Mulrennan
American Affair(far left in yellow) was delivered late by Paul Mulrennan (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’m doing OK, I’m back on my feet but I’ve been told not to do too much,” said Goldie.

“The weekend certainly helped, the Mallard and the Portland are two of my favourite races, I’ve won them both before and I like Doncaster as I’ve been lucky there.”

Goldie confirmed that American Affair, who began the season rated 72, won at Doncaster off 92 and will carry a 5lb penalty, is likely to line up.

“I think he’ll go,” said Goldie. “He was favourite on Saturday because when he just got beat at Haydock the week before he was on the wrong part of the track and the Sprint Cup followed and those on that side were all beaten five lengths or more.

“He’s a very exciting sprinter and seems to be getting better. This is over six furlongs, he won on Saturday over five-and-a-half but I don’t know if he’ll be as effective over six as all his improvement has been over five.

“It’s an Ayr Gold Cup, it’s not an easy race to win but when you have a horse in form it can’t be taken for granted. You need to be drawn right but you don’t know what a good draw is yet.

“If he goes in the same form as last week he’s bound to have a good chance.”

Goldie will have two live chances to become the first Scottish-based trainer to win since Nigel Angus in 1975 with Roman Warrior, with Jordan Electrics also among the ante-post favourites.

“Jordan Electrics’ form is red hot but he was on the favoured far side at York so he might have been flattered there,” continued Goldie.

“He’s still in great form. I don’t think I’ve had one improve as much as him in one season. Hawkeyethenoo probably started off rated in the 50s and ended up 112 but not in one season.

“I’m not in a great deal of pain with my hip and I’m getting there, I’m back on my feet but I’m supposed to be behaving myself!”

Other leading fancies confirmed include Albasheer, Ramazan and last year’s winner Significantly.



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