Rain will suit Dexter’s bid at Ayr

This sprinter’s brave win at Chester in May last year was one of Lee’s first successes on the Flat after the 2004 Grand National-winning jockey quit jump racing following one fall too many.

This is also the horse that has helped Bedale-based Lee to 
accumulate quickly more than 200 victories on the Flat and establish himself as one of the top jockeys in the country as he rapidly closes in on his century for the season.

On this day last year, Jack Dexter – and Lee – won the William Hill Bronze Cup before enjoying further success at Ascot and Doncaster.

Wins this season at Doncaster and Newcastle have proved that last season’s successes were no fluke and horse and rider head to Scotland today with a favourite’s chance as they seek their seventh success in just under 18 months.

It is significant that Lee, who was only persuaded to switch codes following forceful words from his great friend AP McCoy, has opted to ride Jack Dexter over stablemate Hawkeyethenoo as trainer Jim Goldie bids to end Scotland’s 38-year wait for a home-trained winner of this historic six-furlong contest worth £150,000 in total.

“It looks like the rain has hampered Hawkeye, but the more the better for Jack Dexter.

“It was very wet last year and Jack loved it,” said Goldie who developed a strong association with Lee when the jockey was rattling up 1,000 winners over fences on horses like 2004 National hero Amberleigh House, Howard Johnson’s legendary hurdler Inglis Drever and Ferdy Murphy’s Grade One-winning Kalahari King.

“Hawkeye is in great form, Mick Easterby’s Hoof It was just in front of us, so the two of them bring Group One form. The ground won’t be as bad as last year.

“It occurred to me last year I probably had the Ayr Gold Cup winner last year in Jack Dexter but we’ve won another three or four races and ended up with top weight.

“We’ve waited for this since June. I’ve wasted a lot of money on entry fees waiting for his ground and it hasn’t come, but he’s certainly got it now.”

Richard Fahey lifted this prestigious six-furlong handicap with Fonthill Road in 2006 and his three runners – Baccarat, Heaven’s Guest and Majestic Myles – head a particularly strong Yorkshire contingent.

Baccarat, winner of the Great 
St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon, is the Malton trainer’s main contender. “He looks to be the No 1 for us, but you never know in these races.

“We’re happy with him and everything’s gone according to plan,” said Fahey.

“It looks like there’s more to come from him. His work is getting better and he’s getting more professional.

“Majestic Myles has had a bad season. From a genuinely unbelievable horse, he’s just lost his way, for some reason.

“He ran in this race with top weight one year (2011). It just shows you how far down he’s come, but we’re happy with him and he has to bounce back.

“Heaven’s Guest has had a fantastic season. At the beginning of the season you wouldn’t have thought he’d end up in the Ayr Gold Cup. I just felt he was a bit over the top at Goodwood last time.

“We freshened him up, we’re happy with him at home and hopefully he can bounce back, but he needs to.”

Owner Stephen Curran has confirmed top Irish chaser Flemenstar will be trained by Tony Martin this season.

The eight-year-old won three Grade One events when in the care of the outspoken Peter Casey, but Curran has decided to give his star performer a change of scenery. He said: “Hopefully a move will freshen him up a bit and will be the right thing to do.”