Gweedore

The highlights on his CV are genuinely striking. Four of his eight wins have come in Class 2 races, including a victory at Newmarket in August 2023, one of the most prestigious tracks in the country. Trainer Katie Scott noted afterwards that "the further he went the better" that day, which gives you a clue about how he is best ridden — patient, given time to find his stride, and allowed to build into a finish. He seems to travel within himself and then hit another gear when it matters. His best distance is around a mile and a quarter, where he has won 3 from just 6 races — that is half of every race he has started at that trip.

His favourite venue, though, is Ayr. He has won 3 of his 7 races there, and the Ayr Gold Cup — one of Scotland's biggest race days — has been a target Scott has openly spoken about. Two years ago he finished a close third in that race, and the aim is to go one better. The problem has been getting him fit enough to take his chance. He missed an entire season with a sore fetlock, then came back this year only to suffer a splint — not serious, Scott was keen to point out, but frustrating enough to delay his return. His last win came at Musselburgh in November 2025, and his recent form — a win followed by a string of mid-field finishes — suggests he is still finding his feet after the interruptions.

Wet or soft ground suits him, where he wins 1 in every 3 races he enters on that surface. Jockey Jason Hart has the best read of him, winning 3 of their 13 races together. Scott's yard has sent out 17 winners this season, so the team is in form — and if Gweedore can stay sound through August and September, the Ayr Gold Cup remains the dream.