Ayr Gold Cup: Osborne facing Ayr problem

Face The Problem's owner, Dr. Marwan Koukash, is looking for his third successive win in the race
Jamie Osborne is keeping his fingers crossed Face The Problem will make the cut for the Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday...
The sprinter still needs several horses above him to come out to guarantee a place in the maximum 27-strong field.
Osborne believes the four-year-old deserves to be one of the market leaders for Scotland's prestigious six-furlong handicap should he be allowed to take his chance after he was just touched off by Doc Hay in the Portland at Doncaster on Saturday. He is trading at 18.5n/a for the Ayr Gold Cup in the Betfair ante-post market.
"I spent a furlong thinking I was about to win the Portland, the last three strides I realised I wasn't going to, so it was a bit frustrating," the Upper Lambourn trainer told At The Races.
"He's improved with each run this year and I would love him to get in the Ayr Gold Cup. He's going the right way and if he gets in, he deserves to be one of the favourites. He had an injury early in the year which meant his season didn't start until August.
"The Ayr Gold Cup has been a tentative plan and he has shown in each run he is on the upgrade and the probability of him getting six furlongs has increased so it has become more and more the plan."
Jim Goldie is praying for decent ground to improve Hawkeyethenoo's prospects of completing the Stewards' Cup/Ayr Gold Cup double. The Glasgow trainer felt the ground cost Hawkeyethenoo his chance 12 months ago when he could finish only 10th to Our Jonathan.
"He didn't like it last year and hopefully it will be quicker than it was last year. I'd prefer good, good to soft, but it will be what it is.
"You need everything in your favour to win a race like that and the ground will be the key to whether we win it or not. It's been a very wet year and it would be nice to get some good ground but I doubt we are going to get it.
"Graham (Lee) gets on very with the horse and obviously the Stewards' Cup was the career high on the Flat for him and a career high for myself."
Hawkeyethenoo is towards the head of the Betfair ante-post market for the Ayr Gold Cup, where he currently trades at 13.5n/a.
Get open access to Timeform data for just 2.50 a day with Timeform Race Passes. It's like a Form Book, Black Book & Race Card all in one! Find Out More!