Ayr Gold Cup

History

The event was established in 1804, and it was originally held at Ayr's former racecourse at Belleisle. In the early part of its history it was restricted to horses bred and trained in Scotland. It was initially contested over two separate heats of two miles, and was subsequently a single race with a two-mile distance.
The Ayr Gold Cup became a handicap in 1855, and it was shortened to about a mile in 1870. The Belleisle track closed in 1907, and the race was relocated and cut to 6 furlongs in 1908.
The lightest winning weight in the race since it became a sprint is 6 st 13 lb. This was carried to victory by Marmaduke Jinks in 1936. The heaviest is 10 st, the burden of Roman Warrior in 1975. The latter horse, trained at Ayr by Nigel Angus, is the most recent winner trained in Scotland.
The field for the Ayr Gold Cup is formed from the highest-weighted horses entered for the race. The maximum number of runners is currently twenty-five. Those eliminated are now offered the chance to compete in the Ayr Silver Cup, a consolation race introduced in 1992. An event for horses excluded from that race, the Ayr Bronze Cup, was established in 2009.

Records

Most successful horse :

Dazzle – 1889, 1890, 1891

Leading jockey :

Tom Nicholson – Dominie Skelp, Brunswick, Gondolier, Masetto
William Noble – Despot, The Doctor, The Recorder, The Shadow

Leading trainer :

Tom Dawson – Inheritor, Despot, The Doctor, Doctor Caius, The Recorder, The Shadow, Inheritress, Stilton, Itch, Tabouret, Good Hope

Winners since 1960

''Weights given in stones and pounds.''

Earlier winners

1804: Chancellor
1805: Chancellor
1806: Young Newbyth
1807: Juno
1808: Young Daffodil
1809: Bit of Tartan
1810: colt by John Bull
1811: Ayrshire Lass
1812: Ardrossan
1813: Snodgrass
1814: Ardrossan
1815: Marquis
1816: Kate Kearney
1817: Glengary
1818: Sans Culottes
1819: Monreith
1820: Chance
1821: colt by Stamford
1822: colt by Viscount
1823: Lancer
1824: Stratherne
1825: Lancer
1826: Robin Hood
1827: Dominie Skelp
1828: Mary
1829: Spadassin
1830: Brunswick
1831: Gondolier
1832: Vyvyan
1833: Philip
1834: Masetto
1835: Inheritor
1836: Despot
1837: Despot
1838: Inheritor
1839: Lanercost
1840: The Doctor
1841: Doctor Caius
1842: The Recorder
1843: The Shadow
1844: The Shadow
1845: Inheritress
1846: Inheritress
1847: Eryx
1848: Chanticleer
1849: Glen Saddel
1850: Elthiron
1851: Elthiron
1852: Stilton
1853: Testator
1854: Itch
1855: John Dory
1856: The Assayer
1857: Gathercole
1858: Trip the Daisy
1859: Susannah
1860: Greta
1861: Bloomsbury
1862: Little Captain
1863: Bohemian
1864: Newchurch
1865: Nothing More
1866: Fitzroy
1867: Miss Havelock
1868: Tabouret
1869: Good Hope
1870: Lady of Lyons
1871: Irregularity
1872: Alaric
1873: Lord Derby
1874: Servia
1875: Munden
1876: Coltness
1877: Ivy
1878: Sutler
1879: Umbria
1880: Strathblane
1881: Heath Bird
1882: Tita
1883: Tibicen
1884: Perdita
1885: Daylight
1886: Daylight
1887: Mirth
1888: Reverie
1889: Dazzle
1890: Dazzle
1891: Dazzle
1892: Horton
1893: Once More
1894: Mimram
1895: Linton
1896: Athel
1897: Athel
1898: Gyp
1899: Portebella
1900: Child Waters
1901: Caedmon
1902: Lovetin
1903: Kirkbride
1904: King's Birthday
1905: Kilglass
1906: Cyrus
1907: Charis
1908: Raeberry
1909: Alwine
1910: Raeberry
1911: Saucy John
1912: Grammont
1913: Borrow
1914–16: no race
1917: Wayward
1918: no race
1919: Beresina
1920: Forest Guard
1921: Self Sacrifice
1922: Soldennis
1923: Baydon
1924: Westmead
1925: Phalaros
1926: Lord Wembley
1927: Martenax
1928: Nothing Venture
1929: Tommy Atkins
1930: Heronslea
1931: Heronslea
1932: Solenoid
1933: Ken Hill
1934: Figaro
1935: Greenore
1936: Marmaduke Jinks
1937: Daytona
1938: Old Reliance
1939–45: no race
1946: Royal Charger
1947: Kilbelin
1948: Como
1949: Irish Dance
1950: First Consul
1951: Fair Seller
1952: Vatellus
1953: Blue Butterfly
1954: Orthopaedic
1955: Hook Money
1956: Precious Heather
1957: Jacintha
1958: Rhythmic
1959: Whistling Victor