Carroll on Gold Cup Hunter John Carroll was today handed the ride on Stewards` Cup winner Guinea Hunter in the Tote Ayr Gold Cup, and promptly saw his mount leap to favouritism. He takes the place of Jamie Spencer, who was on board at Goodwood last month but has been claimed by Luca Cumani to ride at Newmarket on Saturday. Carroll rode the Tim Easterby-trained five-year-old into third place in the Ayr race last season, and the partnership are 8-1 favourites (from 10-1) to go two places better this time after good support with the sponsors today. 'I won on Guinea Hunter at Haydock a couple of years ago and it is a good ride to pick up,' the jockey said. 'He would have every chance. The way the race is run will suit him as there should be plenty of pace and hopefully he will be drawn in the right place. He should run a big race.' Guinea Hunter ran an eye-catching trial when third in last week`s Portland Handicap at Doncaster, beaten under half a lenth behind Smokin Beau, who has been given the go-ahead to bid for a follow-up at Ayr rather than run in a Listed event at Newbury the same day. Smokin Beau has been put up 4lb in the official lists published today, enough to make John Cullinan think it worth running under the 7lb penalty incurred by his neck victory at Doncaster. 'He has gone up to 102 and he will definitely go to Ayr,' the trainer said. 'The weather forecast is much better there - there is due to be a lot of rain at Newbury and the going is likely to be softer there. 'When the weights were framed for Ayr he was rated 95 and with his penalty he goes up to 102, which is what he is on now so we have nothing to lose by having a go. 'He has won over six furlongs before so I am not worried abut the trip and I think he can win - we are not going up there for fun! 'He actually weighs more now than when he left for the Portland so he is very resilient, he is improving and he should run well.' Smokin Beau is quoted at 20-1 by the sponsors to complete a Portland/Ayr Gold Cup double achieved by both Lochsong and Sarcita in the 1990s. Antonio Canova will also be aiming for a notable double, having landed a gamble in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon last month. 'I`d imagine those who backed him at Ripon will be on him again so there will be quite a bit of support,' trainer Bob Jones said. 'And if he is beaten it won`t be far - he will give them a good shout.' Though his five-year-old has not raced since his Ripon victory, Jones added: 'He in very good form and I am very pleased with him. It was always the plan to go straight to Ayr as he doesn`t have many runs. 'He has gone up in the weights but he keeps getting a bit better each time - the family do improve with age.' Frannie Norton, currently serving a suspension which ends on Friday, will be on board again to maintain a partnership which has brought three wins in four starts this season. 'We have got Frannie again,' Jones said. 'He is having a little `holiday` at the moment so he should be nice and fresh!' Kieren Fallon has been provisionally booked for Indian Spark - a strong-finishing second in a Group Three event at Leopardstown recently - by Jim Goldie, who will only run top-weight Orientor if the ground is right. 'If Kieren is at the meeting he will ride Indian Spark but it depends what happens at Newbury,' the trainer said. 'Indian Spark has an excellent chance. He ran very well in Ireland and was lucky not to have picked up a penalty.'
