DAVID NICHOLLS is taking no chances with his bid to win a fifth Ayr Gold Cup in six years by fielding eight of the 28 declared runners for the £120,690 feature.

The chunky Sessay-based handler could easily be mistaken for a Sumo wrestler and his stranglehold on the six-furlong sprint is unparalleled in the long and distinguished history of the race.

There's no point in even trying to stick rigidly to form analysis seeing as even the genius-like Nicholls couldn't have predicted he'd lift the cup via 33-1 outsider Funfair Wane 12 months ago.

But at least Funfair Wane, also successful in 2002 for Jean and Kevin Keegan, proved that previous winners can do it again, which is why I'm plumping for Continent (3.40), the first past the post in 2001.

Continent's career took a major upswing following that famous victory, because one year later he bagged a brace of Group Ones courtesy of Newmarket's July Cup, plus the Prix de L'Abbaye on Arc day at Longchamp.

Things haven't been so good of late for the valiant eight-year-old, who as a consequence has gone into free-fall down the ratings and plunged to the sort of mark any trainer, let alone one as talented as Nicholls, would die for.

"They say he likes a bit of cover and the dig in the ground will suit him," reported Continent's jockey, Tom Eaves, who could hardly be in a better frame of mind, having ridden a three-timer at the track yesterday.

All the above-mentioned criteria should serve Continent well, plus there's no denying his third in Doncaster's Portland Handicap signalled the gelding is primed to turn back the clock and recapture the crown he initially donned four years ago.

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