Golden Day ahead

A lovely morning here in Cornwall and just about to go and cook breakfast for our guests so took some time last night trying to work out the Ayr Gold Cup and have decided to back two, but neither is drawn high which on the evidence of the Bronze Cup looks the place to be.

However, the draw at Ayr is all over the place each year and if a low or middle drawn horse wins the Silver Cup then everyone will be raving about that being the place to be. In the end I prefer to pick my horses on merit rather than place too much emphasis on the draw in this race as it varies from year to year.

My main fancy is Hawkeythenoo who has a middle draw in 16 and always pulls out all the stops on big days like this. At 9-1 he is good value I reckon. The other is an old rogue, Kaldoun Kingdom, who I backed in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood where he ran a stinker but he won the Silver Cup last year and with a useful 5lb claimber on board I reckon he's worth another go at 40-1 from a low draw.

Still working on getting to Kelso during our trip to Scotland next month but have been foiled in Plan B. This involved playing the guilt card when my wife said she and her daughter, Antonia, were going on a shopping trip next week.

"Oh, great. What time are we setting off," I asked.

"You don't want to come shopping with us," she replied and then I hit her with the guilt tactic.

"Why not. I haven't had a day out with Antonia for years. I don't want to just stay here on my own." (I didn't add, "watching ATR and R UK...")

She then called my bluff replying, "well if you want to come you'll have to let us have as much time in the shops as we want."

This called for the big move. "Well, I tell you what. You can have a day's shopping and I'll just stay here but then we'll make up for it with me having a day at the races in Scotland."

Sadly she was two steps ahead, predictably. "I knew that was coming. You went off to Newton Abbot last week without even telling me...etc etc" and it turned into a moan so a complete backfire unfortunately.

Plan C is now being devised, which involves bribery but success is by no means guaranteed and I can see a step up in cunning is called for, particularly now that I've had to twice expose my hand and been hopelessly out manoeuvred.

Back to today and off to Plymouth Argyle this afternoon against Sheffield Wednesday. Absolutely desperate for a result before we start to sink without a trace but still confident that That Man Reid can get us winning.