Tudhope wins second Ayr Gold Cup on Pellitory

On Saturday at Ayr racecourse, Danny Tudhope rode Pellitory to victory in the Ayr Gold Cup. The win came after a lengthy delay.

There were two inspections of the course that morning, and several races were pushed back before being cleared to run. The inspections and postponements affected the timing of the meeting.

Tudhope held off Tuco Salamanca, who finished second, while joint-favourites Binhareer and Far Above Dream did not place. Pellitory is owned by Evan Sutherland.

Pellitory is better known over seven furlongs, but that trip served him well on heavy ground, securing a first win over the shorter distance. He is trained by David O'Meara.

Tudhope said: "He's never really been brought back to six furlongs, it was a bold move," Tudhope said. "To win this race once was unbelievable, to win it twice is amazing. I couldn't be happier." O'Meara added: "We felt he would [love these conditions]. He stays seven [furlongs] and has run over a mile - that's a huge thing today. "Today was all about Evan and his horse, I'm delighted for him."

Heavy rain battered Ayr racecourse on Saturday morning.

The victory was Tudhope's second Ayr Gold Cup; he previously won the Ayr Gold Cup in 2022 on Summerghand when he became the first Scottish winner of this race in 50 years.