AYR are still counting the cost of losing their big autumn meeting to the weather. At Haydock on Saturday, the big handicap, the Ayr Gold Cup, was taken over by 32Red at Haydock on Saturday and, although the first prize was some way sort of the original, connections of Andrew Balding’s 13/2 shot Donjuan Triumphant will not be complaining about a purse of over £56,000.

It was still run in heavy ground and as they entered the closing stages it looked as if Dean Ivory’s Stake Acclaim had done enough. However, he was hard driven, edged left and was short-headed by the flying Donjuan Triumphant, who came from a long way back under P. J. McDonald.

Ice Age, whose splendid summer included a valuable success in Ireland, was third ahead of Mr Lupton.

“He was a bit unlucky when ninth in the Stewards’ Cup, he’d won here since then and we thought he’d go well in the Gold Cup last week,” reported Balding’s representative Simon Humphries. “He loves this ground and may well be out again this season.”

Richard Fahey will remember this Saturday. He had a sprinkling of winners, as usual, but trained Donjuan Triumphant until early this summer, the horse leaving at around the same time as Cambridgeshire winner Dolphin Vista.

GOSDEN’S DOUBLE

John Gosden added to his Newmarket gains with a double on this card, Pioneer Spirit (by Galileo) taking the opening fillies’ novice over a mile and the late-developing Royal Line, 5/4 favourite, following up in the 32Red Casino Handicap over 12 furlongs. Both were ridden by Robert Tart, Royal Line (by Dubawi) easing clear of Balding’s Night Of Glory despite drifting markedly left. He may well make his mark at a higher level.

Another progressive sort is Richard Fahey’s Boundsy, 10/1, who took the nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk Handicap over six furlongs in the hands of fit-again Sammy Jo Bell.

Boundsy got up to beat the luckless Rasheeq by a nose, giving the older gelding 3lb. He has won three of his last four and is still at the right end of the handicap.

Fahey also won with Showmethedough and Indomeneo, both ridden by Adam McNamara, at Ripon, together with 16/1 shot Gabrial The Tiger at Chester.