Ayr Gold Cup Hero Retired
Time is the one thing you cannot stop but offers the opportunity of looking back at the memories made. Bielsa burst on to the scene with a winning debut before being a mainstay for the major sprint handicaps. He achieved the big one when taking the 2021 Ayr Gold Cup, landing the fifth for Kevin and the team at Hambleton Lodge. Unfortunately he will not be seen on the track again as the decision was made to retire the 9yr old and allow him to take up leisurely duties where it all began for him.
Bred by the Wainwright family at Highbank Stud, Bielsa didn’t make a sale so was sent into training. He was set a tough task from the get go, named after Marcelo Bielsa by his die hard Leeds United fans owners. Marcelo Biesla was obviously a legend in Yorkshire around this time so it was quite obvious that when his equine namesake hit the track, it would garner a lot of attention.
It was quite a wait to see him in action, with Bielsa making his debut at the end of his 3yo season. Winning at Redcar was the perfect start but it would be 6 months before he would back that up. Now 4, the gelding would turn up at Doncaster with a bigger legion of followers. As the Leeds United forums and twitter accounts clocked on to a horse named after their manager, the support got stronger for him through the day. Despite carrying 10st and giving heaps of weight away, Bielsa won again and was the toast of Yorkshire. Now he would enter handicap company, starting off 87 but the winning run would be stretched to three when he won at Thirsk next time out. Unfortunately his first try at a top Handicap, The Portland at Doncaster, would prove to be all wrong. The sharper trip on quick ground did not suit but Bielsa would round off 2019 with one more win and see his handicap mark rise to three figures.
2020 would be the season where nothing went right for the horse but a lot was learnt. Purchased by King Power Racing during the winter, Bielsa offered the chance for famous blue colours to be represented by Hambleton Lodge. Obviously the whole year was thrown into chaos with lockdown but Royal Ascot was the first opportunity when racing resumed. Sent off favourite, Bielsa couldn’t make any impression in the Wokingham, won by stable mate Hey Jonesy. It was clear that fast ground was not favourable and in time Bielsa would have a little wind op after a winless season.
From then on Bielsa was a regular at all the big meetings and any top handicap would usually have him somewhere to the fore of the betting. The 2021 season was actually quite frustrating but would culminate in one of the best performances. On three occasions it looked as though he was the most likely winner, only to be done by the draw. Everyone knew there was a big one there for the taking but it felt that lad luck was not on his side. Again it seemed that the cards were stacked against Bielsa when he lined up for the Ayr Gold Cup. Drawn 25, against the stands side rail, was deemed as a bit of a death draw. Nothing had been winning from the high numbers but Kevin was adamant that this had left fresh ground. Kevin Stott (the only jockey to win on the gelding to this point) took the advice and went on a solo mission. The 24 runners split into two groups, hugging the far side and the centre. There was on lone warrior, stuck against the rail with Kevin Stott almost rubbing the paint off the rails he was that close. There were many a betting ticket crumpled at the 5f pole, as the general feeling was the race was now down to 23, you couldn’t win from there. By halfway the the field two groups began to merge and a glance to Bielsa saw he was still keeping tabs with them. Again the feeling was that he was running a good race to be this close for so long but he wouldn’t be in the shake up. All that would change at the 2f pole. Suddenly it seemed as though Bielsa was actually in with a chance, more than a chance, he was pressing the leaders. With he favourited bursting through on the far side they were separated by the entire width of the track. It looked set to be a real battle, that was until the camera angle panned round. Inside the final furlong the whole race perspective changed. Bielsa wasn’t just doing well, he wasn’t giving it a go, he was winning, no he was dominating. What had seemed a minimal margin was a clear lead and it was only going to be extended. Celebrations from Stott was echoed by everyone involved as Bielsa took the 2021 Ayr Gold Cup.
It was always going to be hard following that success, with his handicap mark now up to 107. Bordering on the handicap/pattern races through 2022 it was the following year where Bielsa would be back to his best. Last season started well, back down in the weights and on his favoured ground, Bielsa returned with a close second at Redcar. To prove that age was not yet catching up with him, the gelding would then secure a big field win at York, at the Dante festival. Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he travelled beautifully behind the pace, bursting through inside the 2f pole before repelling a late challenge. It was great to see him back and although the season wouldn’t offer any more wins, there were a couple of close calls. Finishing third in the Stewards cup was a fine effort and with a more favourable draw it could have so easily been better still.
Bielsa retires in great health and owes nothing. He finished with 6 wins to his name from just 33 runs, accumulating £197,840 in prize money. He will always have his name on the roll of honour at Ayr racecourse. Bielsa has returned to his birthplace of Highbank Stud thanks to King Power for kindly agreeing. He will have a lovely retirement and throughout his career, he did his namesake proud, carrying the name Bielsa to some top performances.