Leading Hopes Handed Draw Poser

Leading fancies Hogmaneigh and Borderlescott have eased in the betting for the totesport Ayr Gold Cup after being drawn towards the supposedly unfavoured middle of the course.

They will race from stalls 17 and 16 respectively in the #120,690 handicap after their names came 21st and 24th out of the hat at the draw ceremony conducted by 1980 Olympic gold medalist Allan Wells and local trainer Linda Perratt.

The sponsors pushed Hogmaneigh out slightly to 13-2 from 6-1 while Borderlescott is 8-1 from 7s.

As the procedure got under way the far rail and near side proved the most popular with connections keen to avoid the centre.

After the first 10 names had been drawn out stalls one to five and 24 to 28 were all taken.

Local hopes Orientor and Appalachian Trail will race from 28 and 24 as they bid to become the first Scottish trained winner since Roman Warrior in 1975.

Frankie Dettori's mount Mecca's Mate was 19th out and trainer David Barker opted for stall seven.

'I think it's well enough spread, there are good horses right the way across,' he said.

'I'd have preferred to have been higher but I wasn't going under 18 on this side.'

Mecca's Mate warmed up for the six-furlong dash with an encouraging fifth behind stable companion Celtic Mill in a Listed contest over the minimum trip at York last week.

The mare has taken her exertions well and Barker said: 'She's in tremendous form.

'She finished strongly at York, she just got outpaced. There'll be plenty of pace on on Saturday but it won't be quite five-furlong York Listed pace.

'We should travel up nicely for the first half and then finish well.

'As long as the ground is good or a little softer we'll be all right.'

Totesport's Damian Walker believes Mecca's Mate could become the 'big steamer' in the race.

He said: 'Mecca's Mate was 33-1 this morning and is now 25-1. She's got what we think is a good low draw and she's going to be popular.

'We think you want to be drawn either high or low ? we favoured low with our prices ? so we've eased Hogmaneigh and Borderlescott, who are drawn in the middle of the course.

'We've trimmed Kostar into 20-1 from 25s because he's in the one box.'

(C) PA Sport