IT’S not easy to pick holes in the case for Binhareer in this afternoon’s Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup.

He is a progressive young sprinter who is proven at the track, on the ground and over the distance, and for whom his excellent trainer William Haggas – who sent out Nahaarr to win the race in 2020 – has probably had the race in mind for a while, possibly for 12 months.

On his first run at Ayr, in July last year, Binhareer ran out an easy winner of a Class 4 handicap run on good to soft ground.

His second and latest run there was in the Silver Cup on this day last year, on soft ground, for which he was well backed and in which he did well to stay on as well as he did to take sixth place, after being squeezed out of it at the start.

On his penultimate run, he stayed on from well back in the field to finish sixth in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot.

Then, last time, stepped up to pattern company for the first time, he ran well for a long way in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury before his run flattened out close home.

He should appreciate the return to handicap company today and, as a four-year-old who has raced 12 times, he retains the potential as a sprinter to go beyond the handicap rating of 103 off which he races today.

But he is short in such a competitive race, and the value may lie beyond him.

Far Above Dream is a player.

He was fourth in that Wokingham and, a winner on heavy ground at Goodwood last September, he probably put up a career-best performance in finishing second in the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap at York last time.

He was just beaten a nose by Sondad that day in a race that has been working out really well since, and he gets to race today off the same handicap rating of 99.

He is short enough too, however, and in the back of your mind is the fact that, on his only run at Ayr, on soft ground, in the Silver Cup last year, over this course and distance, he was well beaten.

Storm on the horizon

Dance In The Storm is of greater interest at a bigger price. She was behind Far Above Dream in that York race, but there was a lot to like about the performance that she put up.

Settled early on just behind the leaders in the near-side group, and she travelled really nicely into her race. She was still on the bridle a furlong and a half out. She couldn’t get to the leaders in the end, but she kept on well to finish fourth, just over a length behind Sondad and Far Above Dream.

Just three horses from the first eight home from that race have run since. Eighth-placed Air Force One won the Portland last Saturday off a 2lb higher mark, third-placed Coul Angel ran out an impressive winner of the Bold Lad Handicap at the Curragh last Sunday off a 1lb higher mark, and the winner Sondad finished fourth in the Bold Lad off a 5lb higher mark, doing best of the horses who raced out in the centre. The form is rock solid.

Furthermore, that was Dance In The Storm’s first run over six furlongs. Her 12 previous races had all been over seven furlongs, and she won the last of those, at Chester, impressively, from stall 10 and held up and circling the field. She remains progressive and unexposed over six furlongs, and she could improve appreciably over the trip for her first try at it. It shouldn’t be as much of a culture shock today as perhaps it was last time.

She has never raced on soft or heavy ground, but she ran well at York last time on good to soft, and she was only just beaten in a good handicap at Glorious Goodwood last year, also on good to soft ground.

The Ayr Gold Cup is a race in which the Baldings have previous. Andrew’s father Ian won it with the redoubtable Lochsong (a half-sister, incidentally, to Dance In The Storm’s grandam Lochangel) in 1992 and with Grangeville in 1999, and his uncle Toby won it with Green Ruby in 1986, while Andrew himself has won it twice, with Highland Colori and Donjuan Triumphant. Dance In The Storm could make it thrice.

The Secret is out

Earlier in the day, Ecureuil Secret looks over-priced in the Listed Ladbrokes Doonside Cup, now that the rains have arrived.

Winner of his maiden on heavy ground at Leopardstown for Edward O’Grady on his racecourse debut, the Faheys’ horse was impressive in winning a good handicap on easy ground on Derby weekend at Epsom last year, and he out-ran big odds in finishing third behind Royal Champion and Almaqam in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes last July.

He hasn’t run since then, but he goes well fresh. His record after a break of 50 days or more reads 1231, the latest 1 coming in that handicap at Epsom last year, a career-best performance on his first run back after a break of seven and a half months. And any more rain would not hinder his chance.

Recommended:

Ecureuil Secret 1.55 Ayr – 1 pt win @ 1.55 Ayr, 6/1 (generally)

Dance In The Storm 3.40 Ayr – 1 pt e/w @ 9/1 (generally)