TRAINER David O’Meara cannot go wrong at present and landed another major handicap on Saturday as Louis The Pious, sent off at 10/1 after being well-backed during the day, took the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.

The six-year-old, never the most consistent but equipped with a visor for the first time, was ridden by hat-trick man James Doyle and strode home just over two lengths in front of Minalisa with 7/1 favourite Blaine and Heaven’s Guest filling the minor places.

Earlier results at the meeting suggested that a high draw close to the stands’ rails was highly desirable and the winner was berthed in stall 19.

The third and fourth were also drawn high but Minalisa, a 33/1 chance, appears to have run a blinder for Fran Berry from stall two and led home Ruwaiyan on the far side.

One of O’Meara’s other runners Watchable, ridden by stable jockey Danny Tudhope, led that group but was spent with a furlong to go.

As he weakened, so Louis The Pious moved through on the near side to head Heaven’s Guest and readily pull clear. It completed a splendid treble for Doyle, already successful in the Silver Cup ‘consolation’ race on Huntsmans Close and the opener on Richard Hannon’s Power Play.

Following individuals in form proved very rewarding indeed. Winning owner Frank Gillespie also owns Irish Champion Stakes winner The Grey Gatsby, O’Meara won with Watchable at the Curragh the previous weekend and Doyle has enjoyed another very successful campaign.

Louis The Pious finished second in this last year (off a 6lb lower mark) and surged clear in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot a few months ago.

That followed some poor efforts and he had also finished unplaced three times since Ascot but was not beaten far on his most recent run, after which Berry suggested the visor. It worked perfectly and, as Doyle remarked: “I had the easy job; all I had to do was point and steer and he’s bolted up.”

“These big fields and getting a bit of cover bring out the best in him,” O’Meara added. “Danny couldn’t really get off Watchable after winning on him at the Curragh. He was favourite in midweek and if he’d been drawn high, like Louis The Pious, there wouldn’t have been a lot between them.”

Gillespie, who hails from Donegal and is in the construction business, must be one of the luckiest ‘smaller’ owners in the game. He has six horses in training and the only jumper, Merry King, finished fourth in the Scottish Grand National last April.

“It’s been some year,” he smiled, and no one was about to argue.

HUNTSMANS IS PERFECT

The draw bias was marked enough for clerk of the course Emma Marley to promise a review of the sprint course in conjunction with the BHA.

It seemed that unseasonably dry weather and good to firm ground gave those drawn high a considerable advantage and Huntsmans Close (9/1) took full advantage in the William Hill Silver Cup.

Drawn 27, like Friday’s Bronze Cup winner Expose, he came through to lead for James Doyle approaching the final furlong and kept on to beat Mehdi and 8/1 favourite Bogart, who were drawn 26 and 25.

Doyle was visiting Ayr for the first time in eight years and had never ridden a winner here before 6/1 chance Power Play just got the better of Sir Chauvelin in the opening QTS Nursery over a mile.

The treble paid 770/1 and Louis The Pious came from 14/1 to 10/1 as soon as the draw bias became even more obvious.