THERE was a serious draw bias at Ayr last weekend, as has been well-noted at this stage. In the Ayr Bronze Cup on the Friday, the first four home were drawn five, seven, eight and 17. In the Silver Cup on Saturday, the first four emerged from stalls eight, nine 12 and five respectively, while in the Gold Cup, also on Saturday, the first four home were drawn eight, six, seven and 11. It really was difficult for the high-drawn horses to make an impact.

Horses to note? One from each race. Flying Pursuit in the Silver Cup. Tim Easterby’s horse only finished ninth, but he was drawn in 22, he had to make his way over towards the centre side from flagfall.

Racing towards the near side of the far side group, he finished off his race really well for David Allan, closest at the finish. He was beaten by less than three lengths in total and he can be marked up a fair bit on the bare form of this run. Also, it was his first run in blinkers.

He runs in the six-furlong handicap at Ripon today, a course and distance over which his record reads 211, and he wears the blinkers again. That is interesting.

Johnny Barnes in the Gold Cup. Like Flying Pursuit, he made his way across in behind horses from stall 18. He was further back than ideal, and he was in among horses, and he was checked in his run twice, so he did well to get as close as he did, into eighth place, four and a half lengths behind the winner Brando.

Also, it was his first run over six furlongs, he was dropping back down from a mile, and, just a four-year-old, he should do better next time over this trip with this experience under his belt.

Duke Cosimo should be the obvious one from the Bronze Cup, given that he was drawn 17 and that he was the only horse drawn higher than nine to finish in the first eight. And Michael Herrington’s horse did well to finish fourth, he missed the break and was actually stone last passing the three-furlong pole. But P.J. McDonald switched him to the far side, onto the best of the ground and he finished off his race well over there.

Sir Billy Wright may be an even more interesting horse to take from the race. David Evans’ horse raced from stall 25 and raced towards the near side throughout. He travelled well for Clifford Lee to the two-furlong pole, and shaped as if he was going to be involved in the finish, but it was just too much for him on the worst of the ground and, after shipping a slight bump at the furlong pole, he just kept on to finish ninth.

He is five years old, he is not unexposed as a sprinter, but this effort can probably be marked up a fair bit on the bare figures, and he may be underrated now. He holds an entry in the six-furlong handicap at Haydock this afternoon, a race in which he is set to be reopposed by Duke Cosimo and fellow Bronze Cup also-ran Englishman, and that could be interesting.