By Tom Frary
Friday's action at Doncaster sees a brace of group 2 races of wildly contrasting type, with the hardened stayers battling out the G2 Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter miles preceded by the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers Stakes for the fast juveniles. In the former, the Gosdens have a strong hand with the Normandie Stud-bred pair Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) looking to benefit from the absence of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and enjoy their day in the sun away from that Ballydoyle colossus. Throw in old-stagers Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and you have a “Cup” race for the purists to savour.
The Flying Childers sees the G3 Molecomb Stakes first and second Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}) and Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) re-oppose, with the former having missed out in York's G2 Gimcrack Stakes and the latter having gone one better in the Wathnan Racing's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at ParisLongchamp. Trainer Mick Appleby has an eye on another Breeders' Cup for Big Mojo, which is also a target for Aesterius who is sure to be ridden more positively in this rematch.
“Goodwood probably wasn't quite the ideal set-up, but then he was impressive in the Prix d'Arenberg I thought and gave James [Doyle] a pretty big feel that day,” Wathnan Racing's racing adviser Richard Brown said. “It's quick back, but the options for the two-year-olds over five furlongs are pretty limited. Archie [Watson] says he's fresh and well coming out of France, so we will let him take his chance. Whether it's too quick, we'll find out after the race and, going forward, the Breeders' Cup is kind of in the back of our minds.”
Tabiti Gets Second Crack At The Dick Poole…
Lost to the weather last week, Salisbury's G3 Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes takes place on Friday with the same protagonists due to line up. Juddmonte's Tabiti (GB) (Kingman {GB}) had had to wait to build on her debut win over seven furlongs at Newmarket last month, but the Ralph Beckett-trained half-sister to the G2 Linlithgow Stakes winner Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is poised for the next step.
“Hopefully the ground will have dried out, as she's in great form and we look forward to seeing her run,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “She was impressive at Newmarket on debut and we would like to think she is a smart filly. She won quite easy in the end and she has a lot of natural ability. Dropping back in trip is a slight concern, but she did show plenty of speed the first day, so we would be hopeful enough she can overcome it and hopefully she is up to this level on Friday.”
Also ready for the rescheduled test are the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes runner-up Betty Clover (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Jayar Investments' Newmarket nursery scorer Magic Mild (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), and the debut winners Jewelry (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Greydreambeliever (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who represent Isa Salman Al Khalifa and William Haggas and Hambleton Racing and Karl Burke respectively.
Jonquil To The Test In The Royal Scotsman…
In the week that Sir Michael Stoute announced his retirement at season's close, it would be fitting were Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) cap it with a win in Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes. Defying trouble-in-running to win on debut at Sandown last month, the relative of Frankel (GB) whose immense career tally included this race when it was staged as a conditions event 14 years ago has it all in front of him.
“It's a little bit of a quick turnaround, but he came out of Sandown in very good shape, he was very fresh the next morning and the team at Sir Michael's have been pleased with him in his work back,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “He looked fairly streetwise, because he had every chance to get beat but he seemed to know what he was doing and I think guts and determination got him through.”
“Sir Michael has probably been one of the best British trainers of the last century, he's right up there with the best of them and he's trained some great horses for us and over 50 stakes winners,” he added. “It's great to see him going out on his terms and going out on a high. Hopefully Jonquil can send him off on a high from our point of view and on a good note.”
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