18+ | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

No Gold Tilt For Gift

Luca Cumani has ruled Balthazaar's Gift out of the totesport Ayr Gold Cup.

The four-year-old produced a career-best effort at Haydock on Saturday when he was beaten just over a length into third by Red Clubs in the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup.

But despite being as low as 10-1 with the sponsors for the six-furlong handicap, Cumani has pinpointed the Group Two John Guest Diadem Stakes at Ascot on September 30 as his next port of call.

'He came out of the race very well,' said Cumani.

'But he is not going to go for the Ayr Gold Cup, he will run in the Diadem next at Ascot.

'There is no point asking him to carry 10st in a race like that when we know he is capable of running so well in Group races.

'He won't have a run in between, it will be straight for the Diadem.'

(C) PA Sport

Latest Stories which may interest you

My Racing Story. Jane Carpenter

I'm from just outside Kells, Co Meath and I suppose racing has always been a passion of mine. I do love the sport, and it is brilliant to make a career out of it now. My family are huge racing fans and I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Racing is a highly discussed topic at home with my family as well as farming. The racing is never off the TV. We take an annual family holiday to Galway every year. We go down for the week, and I've been going since I was a child. It is a proper family tradition now. We have going to the same house for the races I'd say for 14 or 15 years now. There are so many bedrooms there and some of my friends from home come down towards the weekend. It is a proper good holiday, and it is always in our calendars every single year. We were in Punchestown recently after Fairyhouse, so we would be big supporters of going racing. My parents are farmers, so I wouldn't have a close association with horses. I grew up on the farm, and I've been surrounded by animals all of my life. I know at first hand the effort, work and dedication that goes into animals and caring for them. I would have helped dad out on the farm alongside my two brothers. We still try to give a hand when time allows. We've no horses here on the farm, but I'm extremely confident that we will one day! I used to do a bit of riding when I was younger at my local equestrian centre. Things just got in the way then, but last summer I took it back up as a hobby. I'm really enjoying that again.