Ed aims to strike Gold on Cup's anniversary

REDCAR’S most historic race celebrates its 75th anniversary today with trainer Ed Bethell hoping he can bring the Zetland Gold Cup back to Middleham.

- By PETER BARRON

The first running of the race, in 1950, was won by Near Way, trained at Middleham by Sam Hall.

And the Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup was declared as the target for Bethell’s progressive See That Storm as soonas the gelding had racked up a fourth consecutive victory at Redcar's May Ist meeting.

Bethell was clearly impressed that day, saying: “I was a bit worried that he could have stripped fitter, so that was a good performance”

There should be more to come from the horse, who has risen 15lb to a rating of 91 since joining Bethell from the Andrew Balding yard, with the sequence of four victories for the Middleham yard starting at Redcar at the end of July.

Callum Rodriquez, who has ridden See That Storm for each of those four wins, is back in the saddle but the competition looks tough, notably from Sir Lowry’s Pass and Faylaq.

Sir Lowry’s pass, trained at Lambourn by Ed Walker, was an impressive winner of a Class 2 handicap at Goodwood last time out, while FayJaq, trained in Scotland by Jim Goldie, is on a hattrick after two Class 3 wins.