Almeric Defies Lengthy Absence To Win Doonside Cup In Style

Almeric put a 158-day lack behind him as he came from last to very first to comfortably land the Ladbrokes "Big Football Bet Builder Boosts" Doonside Cup Stakes at Ayr.


Caviar Heights set the early speed in the Listed occasion with King's Gambit keeping tabs on him 2 lengths in arrears with champ jockey Oisin Murphy pleased to drop the Andrew Balding-trained Almeric in at the back of the field.


Caviar Heights damaged as the race went into the last furlong and a half and Murphy timed his difficulty to excellence and as soon as he asked the concern, Almeric slid to the front of the field as the 13-8 preferred won for the 3rd time in 4 starts, 2 and three-quarter lengths clear of King's Gambit.


Murphy told ITV: "He's undoubtedly a bit ring rusty since he's been off the track for a while but he entered the race perfectly but then he probably got to the front a bit quicker than ideal.


"Obviously with the time off the track he need to be sharper on his next start.


"We've constantly enjoyed him he's the most stunning design.


Almeric wins the Doonside Cup at Ayr (Steve Welsh/PA)


"He's practically got an having actually won his last 3 starts and he ran well on launching. When you make racehorses this is what they are expected to appear like."


The Richard Spencer-trained Candy made all to win the Ladbrokes Ayr Silver Cup.


The field divided coming out of the stalls with the George Wood-ridden Candy striking the front on the near side, with his primary rivals battling it out on the far side of the course.


Sondad was getting the much better of Eye Of Dubai getting in the final half furlong, but Wood was always in command and the 8-1 saw off Sondad by one and three-quarter lengths.


Spencer said: "It's fantastic, George gets on truly well with him, the ground is the essential too him. He appears to simply enjoy it and has a high cruising speed and simply keeps it going. I'm definitely delighted. Hopefully we'll be returning here next year for the huge one."


Owner Phil Cunningham added: "It's the sort of horse, particularly in a field like that, that he's not too difficult to area. You understand how's he going to run. He's going to come off the front and what a tremendous training efficiency. It was remarkable, absolutely remarkable."


Thunder Roar struck the front a furlong from home and hung on to win the Ladbrokes "Free Bet At Ayr" Handicap, while the Richard Hughes-trained Nobody Knows got up to win the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes to offer Murphy a double.