'It's great to get on the board straight away' - Michael Dods springs a 22-1 surprise in Ayr's Gold Cup meeting opener

It is not for want of trying that Michael Dods has failed to win the Ayr Gold Cup and the trainer got the perfect boost for his latest attempt by springing a 22-1 surprise in the first race at the meeting.

Dods declared 17 horses over the three days, including four in the big race itself, and he got off the mark immediately when Eve's Boy took the opening 7f novice event under Paul Mulrennan.

He said: "Owners like to come up and have a few days here and it's always nice to get a good start so it's great to get on the board with a winner straight away. I told Paul to drop him right out today and get him to relax and ride him to finish. He showed a good turn of foot and he's always been a nice horse."

Dods has finished second in the Ayr Gold Cup with Barney McGrew and Commanche Falls — who is among his team again this year.

"It looks as though there's quite a lot of pace drawn high," the trainer said. "We have one low, two middle and one high so we'll see how it goes."

Mulrennan will be among the opposition on Saturday as he rides American Affair for Jim Goldie, on whose Water Of Leith and Eternal Sunshine he took the two legs of the 5f handicap to complete a treble on the day.

Hornsea Bay strikes for The Horse Watchers

The Horse Watchers, who have enjoyed plenty of success with cast-offs acquired from elsewhere, might just have a classy colt of their own.

It was just a shame that neither of the group's founders was within 200 miles of the course when the David O'Meara-trained Hornsea Bay made a highly encouraging debut.

Martin Dixon was working for Racing TV at Pontefract while brother Chris was on duty at Chelmsford and arrived there just in time to see the well-bred two-year-old beat 10-11 favourite Bambalam by three lengths in the mile novice.

"I got down two minutes before the race and he was very impressive," Chris Dixon said. "We expected he'd run a good race as he'd been working well but the favourite had shown a lot at York and we thought, like the market did, that he'd be hard to beat. To do what he did was everything you could have wanted and a little bit more."

Hornsea Bay wins under Danny Tudhope Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Hornsea Bay was bought for €45,000 at the Arqana breeze-up sale in May and Dixon added: "He went through the ring unsold and Dave bought him privately then gave me a ring and said have a look at him. We liked him and he was the kind of horse we don't normally get the chance to buy on pedigree so we did. It's exciting.

"He was very green coming round the bend and his raw ability got him through. There's every chance he'll run in another novice for experience, then we might aim a bit higher. Dave likes to take a patient approach and he was always going to be a horse for next year.

"Neither of us could go to Ayr but they don't run any faster with us being there!"

Yorkshire landmark

Jo Mason rode her 100th winner for Mick Easterby, who now shares the training licence with son David, when landing the 1m2f fillies' handicap on Yorkshire Lady.

Reaching the landmark meant she emulated Eddie Hide, Terry Lucas and Paul Mulrennan in riding a century of winners for the Yorkshire legend.

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