RICHARD Fahey has revealed Ayr Gold Cup favourite Mr Lupton must pass a crucial Wednesday morning gallop if he is to run on Saturday.
The classy seven-year-old bounced back to his best with an impressive win at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend.
He has been punted off the boards for Ayr’s big race since then, with Coral halving him in price from 16-1 into 8-1.
The former Group 2 winner has slipped down the weights and Yorkshire-based Fahey admitted it would be hard to resist running him under a 5lb penalty.
Fahey told Sun Racing: “He seems in good order and looks to have taken his run in Ireland well.
“We will give him a little canter this morning just to see how he is and make sure everything is in working order, and all being well he’ll go to Ayr.
“He has been a wonderful horse for us and has won some big races.
“He is still well-handicapped on his best form so we will find it very hard not to run him.
“We always thought he wanted soft ground but as he has got older he has coped better with quicker ground, so we aren’t worried that it’s drying out up there.”
Fahey completed a memorable across-the-card double in the Ayr Gold Cup and Mill Reef Stakes in 2015 with Another Touch and Ribchester.
And he could repeat the feat this year with the exciting Rhythm Master, who was third in the Prix Morny last time.
He is 11-4 jolly for the Newbury sprint, though he also has the option of waiting to run in next weekend’s Middle Park Stakes.
Fahey said: “To finish third in a Group 1 like the Prix Morny on just his second start shows how much ability he has.
“He is pleasing us at home and he is a horse we have liked from the start. He’s in the Middle Park next weekend, too, so I will speak to his owner John Dance and we’ll make a decision.”
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