Jason Hart, the 30-year-old jockey from Hawick, triumphed in a unique jockeys' sprint race at the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup Festival, just days after a hospitalising fall. The event, inspired by a viral race in Peru, saw ten riders sprint 110 yards without horses, wearing full racing silks.
Hart, the pre-race favourite, burst from the starting stalls and quickly established a lead that his rivals could not close. Callum Rodriguez finished second, while Paul Mulrennan and Rowan Scott battled for third. ITV Racing commentator Richard Holies described Hart as "away and clear, a handicap good thing."
The race raised £200 per runner for the Injured Jockeys Fund, with Ladbrokes spokesman Alex Apati praising the participation and Hart's victory. Hart, who celebrated his 1,000th career win on September 7 at York, now holds the inaugural Ladbrokes Jockey Sprint Trophy.
Hart's recent success follows a fall that hospitalised him, but he recovered to win the sprint and later rode Eye Of Dubai to third in the Ladbrokes Ayr Silver Cup. The Gold Cup itself was won by 12-1 shot Run Boy Run, trained by Richard Spencer.
