With proven course form and underfoot conditions to suit, Horsebetting.com experts say the Tim Easterby trained Flying Pursuit is worth an each-way punt in the Ayr Gold Cup at the Scottish venue on Saturday, 22 September. Stable companion Golden Apollo is another with leading claims and looks capable of going close in the ultra-competitive 6f handicap. Teruntum Star has become well-treated, so is another worth considering each-way at big odds. Find out more about these horses’ chances by reading our in-depth 2018 Ayr Gold Cup betting tips preview.Mud-loving Flying Pursuit has a big shout in Ayr Gold CupWith course form in the book and underfoot conditions to suit, Flying Pursuit makes plenty of each-way appeal in a typically fierce renewal of the 6f Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday (15:50). This Tim Easterby trained gelding has won once and been placed once in three starts over course and distance, and is also at his best when the mud is flying.
The Ontoawinner syndicate owned five-year-old enjoyed a terrific time last season when winning three times, showing a good attitude in the last of those when scoring by half-a-length at Ripon when making all off a rating of 96. He went on to be placed in his next two starts off 101, before rounding off the campaign with a decent eighth of 14 to Dream Of Dreams in a Listed contest at Doncaster.
Flying Pursuit took time to find his form this season, but showed he remained a force to be reckoned with when getting back to winning ways two starts back at York in a 14-runner affair on his favoured soft ground. The son of Pastrol Pursuits dug deep to beat stable companion Golden Apollo by a neck, with the pair pulling 3 1/4 lengths clear of the rest.
That gives the form a solid look and Flying Pursuit has since run well to finish sixth of 20 to Gunmetal in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon on good ground off his current mark of 100. The return to a more testing surface is sure to suit and he remains nicely weighted on the pick of his form.
Jockey Rachel Richardson also get a good tune out of him; so, taking everything into account, there is nothing not to like about Flying Pursuit’s profile for this. He therefore features as the main each-way punt in our 2018 Ayr Gold Cup bettings tips in a race on which many bookmakers will be offering enhanced place terms.Golden Apollo another Easterby inmate with claimsGiven that Golden Apollo was beat just a neck by Flying Pursuit in the aforementioned race at York, and now meets that rival on 1lb better terms, he looks another with leading claims for handler Easterby who is still searching for his first win in the historic contest.
The four-year-old enjoyed a productive 2017 when winning three times. Although yet to get his head in front in seven starts this season, Golden Apollo has shaped really well on several occasions in hot handicaps. They include when fourth of 11 to Gilgamesh over 7f at York and an excellent second to Flying Pursuit at the same venue, where he made good headway from the rear to throw down a strong challenge inside the last before being unable to find any extra close home.
He also shaped a bit better than the bare result when 11th of 20 in the Great St Wilfrid from a poor draw when not knocked about once it was clear he would not be winning. Golden Apollo caught the eye last time out over an extended 5f at Doncaster when a staying on never nearer 4 1/4 lengths nine of 21 to Momentofmadness in the Portland Handicap.
The step back up to 6f, over which he has a 25 per cent strike rate having won four times and been placed on four occasions from 16 starts, is sure to suit. Golden Apollo also has proven form in big field handicaps and underfoot conditions will hold no fears.
He is also just 4lb higher than when last successful and has been placed off his current rating of 99. So, in a race which will be run to suit, Golden Apollo had to feature as another each-way option for punters to consider in our 2018 Ayr Gold Cup betting tips.Teruntum Star a lively outsider weighted to go wellOff those at even bigger odds, Teruntum Star looks weighted to run a big race and a lively outsider capable of hitting the frame at least on the pick of his form. This six-year-old hails from the yard of Kevin Ryan, who has won four of the last 11 renewals of the contest – most recently with Brando in 2016.
The son of Dutch Art landed back-to-back 20 runners handicaps at Ripon and York last season, beating Red Pike by a neck in the Great St Wilfrid consolation race before defeating Spring Loaded by 1 3/4 lengths at York off a mark of 98. He went on to round off the campaign with a solid fourth of 13 to the smart Dream Of Dreams in a Listed contest on soft ground at Doncaster off an official rating of 104.
Teruntum Star is now able to race off 98 again, the same as when last victorious, and that gives him major claims from a handicapping perspective. Although beaten 35 lengths when last of 20 to Gunmetal last time out in the Great St Wilfrid following a break, he stumbled at the start and was heavily eased – so a line can be put through that run.
The fact that he was very heavily-backed that day when sent off 8/1 suggests connections were expecting a huge run and believe they now have a well-treated horse on their hands. So, Teruntum Star looks well worth another chance to prove that could well be the case and thus features among our potential each-way punts for the Ayr Gold Cup.Your Next Bet
