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Timeform look ahead to a busy weekend's racing across Britain that includes the Ayr Gold Cup, the Mill Reef and an Arc trial from Newbury, as well as two big sales races and a Cesarewitch trial at Newmarket...
Watch this weekend's Ayr Gold Cup meeting live streaming online for free when you register with Betfair through Live-horseracing. You can also get a free £25 bet when you sign up this weekend!
The feature of the weekend is the Ayr Gold Cup, one of the biggest sprint handicaps of the season. Currently heading the market is the James Fanshawe-trained Mac's Power, who finished third to Hoof It in the Stewards' Cup.
Some of the more likely rivals of Mac's Power look to be Hawkeyethenoo and Pepper Lane. The former would be an immensely popular winner as he is trained in Scotland by Jim Goldie, while Pepper Lane has been most progressive this year and could take some pegging back if her upward curve were to continue.
David Nicholls has made this race his own in recent years and it would not be a surprise to see him add a seventh success. He saddles Regal Parade and Tajneed this year. Regal Parade won this race in 2008, and though he hasn't been in the same form this season, there is no doubting he is well treated, whilst Tajneed is usually very consistent in top handicaps and should give his running.
Supporting the main event at Ayr is the Silver Cup, a fiercely competitive sprint in its own right, and Nasri looks to have a good chance of taking the consolation prize for not making it into the Gold Cup. The listed Doonside Cup and a Group 2 race for two year-old fillies are other highligts on the Ayr card.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Newbury hosts a good-quality card consisting of three Group races and a competitive-looking mile and a quarter handicap. The feature is the Mill Reef Stakes, a Group 2 in which Caspar Netscher will be looking to follow up his win in the Gimcrack at York. He is penalised for that success but will be hard to beat here if in the same form. The main dangers look to be Saigon and B Fifty Two.
Although labeled an Arc Trial, none of the horses contesting Newbury's 14:00 have an entry in the Arc so it is just a solid Group 3 race. Dangerous Midge has been off for six months and will be using this race as a springboard to the defense of his Breeders' Cup Turf crown. He took this race on the way to America last year and looks to have a strong chance once more. Impressive York winner Green Destiny will be the danger, with the step up in trip likely to suit.
Newmarket plays host to two particularly valuable sales races for two year-olds, the first of which is for fillies only. Worth £100,000, you can expect the brilliant trainer of juveniles Richard Hannon to be involved, and he holds three entries. Glee and Roedean boast the strongest form in the race and look to be the major contenders, as long as the drop back to six furlongs doesn't hinder them.
The second of the sales races, over a furlong further, is worth £200,000. Again, Hannon looks to be saddling the main player, in the form of Coupe de Ville. He has to concede weight all round but continues to leave the impression he has got more to offer and may well be up to the task. Dangers could come in the shape of Tidentime and Jubilance, both winners at Kempton and have good claims.
Newmarket also stages a trial for one of the big end-of-season handicaps, the Cesarewitch. Held over two and a quarter miles, this race provides a stern test of stamina which My Arch could relish, the drop in trip last time not suiting. The lightly-raced Palazzo Bianco remains open to plenty of improvement, especially over this longer distance, and is one of the more interesting contestants from the rest of the field.
Racing also takes place in Britain at Catterrick and on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. Over in Ireland, Listowel hold the final day of their marathon Harvest festival, the feature of which is a handicap hurdle over two and a half miles.
Jumps racing is the main order of the day on Sunday, with action from Plumpton and Uttoxeter whilst Hamilton plays host to a flat card, as does Fairyhouse in Ireland.
Like Newmarket on Saturday, Fairyhouse holds a sales race on Sunday. Top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien holds one entry, whilst the British raiders include Three Am Tour, Richard Hannon's Wolverhampton winner, and Mick Channon's Gatepost, who has disappointed in his two most recent starts but his respectable fifth in the Coventry at Ascot would give him a good chance here.
Hamilton stages the only flat action in Britain on Sunday, with the most interesting race being a fillies sprint over six furlongs. Only eight runners are entered, but it has a competitive feel with Richard Fahey looking to hold the strongest hand in the form of Coolminx and Jeannie Galloway.