Hollie Doyle, our resident ambassador, shares her insights from Town Moor, offering a detailed take on the Doncaster Cup, the Flying Childers, and the Flying Scotsman fixtures. The spotlight this Friday at Doncaster falls on the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (3.00), where the star attraction Caballo De Mar carries a cloud of uncertainty.
Aidan O'Brien appears poised to break an 18‑year drought and claim the win, a feat not achieved since the Ballydoyle stable last captured the marathon with Honolulu back in 2008, a year after Septimus earned his solitary victory in the historic race. Despite the long gap, Doyle believes Queenstown, now under the skilled hands of Ryan Moore, will restore the trainer’s reputation.
Moore recently added a Group Three triumph at The Curragh to his résumé, and that momentum should translate into a strong performance for the six‑year‑old gelding. Queenstown still seeks redemption for a loss to Caballo De Mar in the previous autumn's Prix du Cadran, but the son of the legendary Galileo is well‑suited to the Doncaster Cup’s demanding conditions and should be able to reverse that earlier disappointment.
George Scott’s likely favourite also boasts an impressive record, with two Group One victories on his record. However, he must recover from two puzzling outings at York last month, where he faded quickly in both the Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup. The Doncaster Cup is a test of stamina, but the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25) over five furlongs showcases pure speed, and Richard Hannon’s Pershaada appears to have that in abundance.
Doyle notes that her former trainer has a solid history at this meeting and has identified a prime opportunity for Middleham Park Racing’s daughter of Persian Force to secure her second Group win of the season. Pershaada lit up the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at the Goodwood Festival, pulling away from a strong field that included the subsequent Listed winner Sale Shark. Though she struggled against older, battle‑hardened sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, she remains a benchmark for her own generation when paired with the talented jockey Sean Levey.
Aidan O'Brien’s Carry The Flag may be slightly underrated, but Doyle points out his strong fractions in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville. He was only two lengths behind on soft ground, suggesting he could be a serious contender over the minimum distance in the Flying Childers. Another standout for Doyle is Forgotten Fire, who impressed with a debut win in a Salisbury novice race.
Trained by Andrew Balding, the filly is expected to step up in class with confidence in the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (1.15) on Friday. Jeff Smith’s home‑bred displayed a winning attitude over six furlongs and possesses the pedigree to improve over a longer trip. She is a half‑sister to Group winners See The Fire and Venetian Prince and out of the Juddmonte International champion Arabian Queen, underscoring her high‑quality breeding.
Godolphin’s Nabati is likely to attract punters as he moves up in grade. His sole defeat was a narrow loss when he challenged Arapaho Gold in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury, a race later won by Michael Dods’ colt in the Gimcrack. Charlie Appleby’s son of Night Of Thunder could also be a dark horse, as indicated by his entry in the Group One Middle Park, but Doyle feels that Forbidden Fire may set the Town Moor turf ablaze.
The British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (3.35) on Friday promises a fiercely competitive field. Doyle highlights Ralph Beckett’s Nochebuena as a standout.
Nochebuena, a novice winner over the same course and distance in June, narrowly missed holding on in a strong fillies’ race at Ascot the following month, a contest won by Hoseki. That near‑miss suggests she could still perform well despite a modest four‑pound rise in the handicap rankings.
A viable alternative is Marco Botti’s Golden Muse, a filly the writer once backed at Wolverhampton in early spring. While still early in her turf career, Golden Muse displayed promise over a shorter distance at the same venue earlier in the year, indicating potential for improvement. The Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes (1.50) at Doncaster on Friday will see former stars return to the track, creating a buzz among the racing community.
Doyle predicts that recently retired jockey Joe Fanning will be the crowd‑pleaser. Fanning, who concluded an illustrious riding career this summer, will partner Joe Parr’s Wield, a horse that finished strongly over a mile at Southwell on its last outing. If Wield can replicate that effort on turf, Fanning could secure a successful comeback on his eighth attempt. Sammy Joe Bell, a three‑time winner of this race, is expected to team up with the Michael Herrington‑trained Anthropologist, another All‑Weather performer, to chase another victory.
Since its inception in 2010, the race has captured public imagination and has raised over £1 million for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund, a testament to the dedication of jockeys, trainers, and support staff. Doyle’s comments were captured in an interview with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.
Viewers can watch every race of the Betfred St Leger Festival live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 512) from Thursday through Sunday.