Makin hoping history will repeat itself as Poet's Pride goes down middle again

He is riding the ante-post favourite, Poet's Place, for in-form Thirsk trainer David Barrons. The horse has been the subject of a nationwide gamble. And, in another twist that would worry some jockeys, the horse is owned by Elaine Russell – the mother of the rider's girlfriend Sarah.

Yet, far from being burdened by such pressures, the engaging 26-year-old says he has nothing to lose. He says the horse owes connections nothing after an astonishing late burst of speed saw Poet's Place land the fiercely competitive Portland Handicap at Doncaster last Saturday – one of the St Leger's main supporting races.

Even though Poet's Place picked up a 5lb weight penalty for the Portland win – the race was run after the Ayr Gold Cup entries closed – it was this handicap hike that guaranteed the horse a place in the line-up that is limited to 28 runners for safety reasons. He is likely to be carrying far more weight in future sprints.

"If anything, there's going to be less pressure," Makin told the Yorkshire Post. "I know that I am not going to lose the ride. Sarah's dad deals in horses; that's how I know the family.

"And everyone is still over the moon following the Portland. Most owners are fortunate to have a horse that wins just once. Poet's has won four times in seven starts – it's a clich but there's nothing to lose and everything to gain."

The William Hill-sponsored race is one of Europe's richest sprints and has been dominated in recent years by Dandy Nicholls, another Yorkshire trainer, who has won the race five times in the past decade. He saddles a mere five runners today headed by Stewards' Cup hero Evens And Odds and Ripon winner Tajneed.

This quintet is eclipsed by six runners from Richad Fahey's yard. He struck with Fonthill Road in 2006 and his team includes joint top-weight Kaldoun Kingdom, who won the Silver Cup in 2009, and Knot In Wood, who has finished third and fourth in the last two renewals.

Yet Barrons has winning form in the contest. He trained Coastal Bluff –- the only successful Ayr Gold Cup favourite in recent times – in 1996 and he believes Poet's Place, an American-bred five-year-old, is coming into his own. He is also unperturbed that the horse is drawn towards the centre of the track. Makin conjured a winning ride up the middle of Town Moor a week ago, and the trainer is hopeful that history will repeat itself with Poet's Place.

"He's been good and he came home from Doncaster fine. He's going for another big race just seven days on but everything at home says that he's fine," said Barrons, who also runs the well-regarded outsider Hitchens.

As for Makin, he believes the horse could complete an unlikely hat-trick of triumphs in front of the Channel Four cameras that began with Poet's Place impressive victory at Haydock last month.

"I think he's a very talented horse," said the jockey who grew up near Chesterfield before joining the Barrons yard as an apprentice around eight years ago.

"Last week, we always had the Ayr Gold Cup in the back of our minds. That has always been the priority and I wasn't going to give him a hard race unnecessarily.

"But I think the Haydock win helped. He's five years old, but has only had seven races. He's never come out of second gear – until now – but you do need a lot of luck in races like this.

"You need good horses who can take you into the race so you're not having to do it all on our own, but I know my horse has the class."

Makin could just as easily have ridden top weight Barney McGrew whom he partnered to victory at last year's York Ebor festival before winning a Group Three race at Newcastle earlier this season.

The jockey primarily rides for Barrons and Darlington-based Michael Dods, who trains Barney McGrew.

And while Makin is unlikely to replicate the career-best 111 winners that he rode last year – he is only just approaching the half-century mark – this is an extremely talented rider who would have a far higher profile if he was based in the South.

He is unperturbed for he knows that he is lucky to be ridding after suffering a severe injury two summers ago on the gallops at Barron's yard at Maunby, near Thirsk, that saw him break three vertebrae in his back.

"Sometimes, in the middle of the summer when you have two meetings, 10 rides and all the travelling, it gets stiff – but otherwise it is fine and I just love what I'm doing," he explains.

"I'm fairly laid back as a person, but it doesn't mean I want to do well. My biggest ambition is just to keep everyone happy and hope everything falls into place."

He will have no worries on that score if he wins the Ayr Gold Cup – especially from the trainer and the owners of Poet's Place.