Things come in threes

Karl Burke claimed his third Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday and just for good measure trained the second and third. Lethal Levi was scoring for the third time in 2024 when making virtually all under Clifford Lee and beating stablemates Silky Wilkie and Korker by three lengths. The five year old has benefited from the fitting of blinkers this summer producing a career best effort on the West coast of Scotland. The Middleham trainer won the six furlongs cavalry charge in 1994 and 1998 - ironically he was responsible for the first two on the latter occasion - and he dominated the contest once again with his three representatives. My own fancy Pilgrim didn't appear to get home having chased the winner throughout. Interestingly, the first nine home all emerged from double figured stalls.

Earlier on the card, Craig Lister enjoyed the biggest success in his short training career when the progressive Alfa Kellenic defied top weight in the Silver Cup. The three year old was claiming her sixth victory of the campaign with her official rating rising from 70 to 93. Ridden by William Pyle, she produced a terrific display to beat 21 rivals by upwards of a length and three quarters. She looked every inch a Pattern filly in a handicap with black type very much on her agenda now. Craig, who trains alongside the A19 near Easingwold in North Yorkshire, has made a good impression during the last couple of years and has a real flagbearer in this daughter of Havana Grey. Purchased for £20,000 as a yearling, she has proved a bargain buy.

As always, it was a thoroughly enjoyable few days in Scotland which was aided by some excellent weather. The racing was competitive and all the leading names from the North were in attendance, including messrs Dods, Easterby, Fahey, O'Meara and Ryan. It gave me the opportunity to catch up with a few people and the information I garnered will be included in the Autumn Update, which will be emailed to clients on Thursday pm (26th September). If you haven't ordered your copy, please head to the Publications section of the site. The Update is £6.00.

Thank you to those clients who ordered One Jump Ahead and the Updates over the weekend - I am processing orders in between working on the Autumn Update. As stated a few days ago, OJA is due to be published at the end of the week and all orders will be sent out as soon as possible. I will also send out the PDF versions, too. Please head to the Publications section to order a copy of One Jump Ahead and Updates, if you haven't already done so.