Hollie Doyle, our resident racing ambassador, shares her insights on the action at Town Moor, offering a detailed take on the Doncaster Cup as well as the Flying Childers and Flying Scotsman contests. The spotlight this Friday at Doncaster falls on the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (3.00), where uncertainty surrounds the star attraction Caballo De Mar. With doubts lingering, Aidan O'Brien appears poised to break an 18‑year drought and claim his first victory in this historic marathon since Honolulu’s triumph in 2008, a win that came a year after Septimus delivered O'Brien’s previous success in the race.
While O'Brien’s Ballydoyle stable has not lifted the Doncaster Cup trophy in over a decade, all eyes are on Queenstown, the six‑year‑old gelding sired by the legendary Galileo. After a confident Group Three win at The Curragh under Ryan Moore last month, Queenstown is expected to correct the disappointment of his autumn defeat to Caballo De Mar in the Prix du Cadran. The conditions of this Group Two event suit him perfectly, and Doyle believes the gelding has the stamina and class to turn the tables and secure a long‑awaited victory.
The other leading contender, George Scott’s highly regarded horse, boasts two Group One victories on his record. However, recent performances in the Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York were puzzling, as the horse faded quickly after a promising start. To bounce back, he will need to rediscover the form that made him a favourite and adapt to the demanding distance of the Doncaster Cup.
Switching to sprinting, the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25) over five furlongs showcases sheer speed. Richard Hannon’s Pershaada, a daughter of Persian Force, is highlighted for her explosive turn of foot. Doyle notes that Hannon has a strong history at this meeting, and Pershaada’s recent Group Three win in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood – where she beat a field that included the later Listed winner Sale Shark – suggests she is ready to add a second Group victory to her résumé.
Although Pershaada was outclassed by older, more seasoned sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, her performance against her own generation remains impressive, especially with the talented Sean Levey aboard. Doyle also points out that Aidan O'Brien’s Carry The Flag may be undervalued.
After delivering solid fractions in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville and losing by only two lengths on soft ground, the colt possesses the turn of foot to be a serious contender over the minimum distance of the Flying Childers. In the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (1.15) on Friday, Doyle was particularly impressed by Forgotten Fire’s debut win in a Salisbury novice race. Trained by Andrew Balding, the filly is expected to step up in class with confidence. Bred by Jeff Smith, she is a half‑sister to Group winners See The Fire and Venetian Prince and out of the Juddmonte International champion Arabian Queen, giving her a pedigree that suggests she can handle the longer trip with ease.
Godolphin’s Nabati is another horse likely to attract punters as he moves up in class. His sole defeat came in a narrow loss to Arapaho Gold in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury, a race won by Michael Dods’ colt in the Gimcrack.
Doyle believes Nabati’s consistency makes him a solid pick. Charlie Appleby’s son of Night Of Thunder, entered in the Group One Middle Park, remains a mystery, but Doyle feels that Forbidden Fire could ignite the Town Moor turf, adding further intrigue to the sprint programme. The British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (3.35) promises fierce competition.
Doyle’s standout is Ralph Beckett’s Nochebuena, a novice winner over the same course and distance in June who narrowly missed holding on in a strong fillies’ race at Ascot the following month. Given her recent form, a modest 4‑pound rise in the handicap may not be enough to stop her from taking the prize. A second option in the same race is Marco Botti’s Golden Muse, a filly the writer once backed at Wolverhampton in early spring.
Though still early in her turf career, she showed promise over a shorter trip at Doncaster earlier in the year and could surprise the field. The Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes (1.50) at Doncaster will see former stars return to the track, creating a nostalgic buzz. Doyle predicts that recently retired jockey Joe Fanning will be the talk of Town Moor. Fanning, who concluded an illustrious riding career this summer, will be aboard Joe Parr’s Wield, a horse that finished strongly over a mile at Southwell.
If Wield can repeat that performance on turf, Fanning could secure a memorable comeback win on his eighth attempt. Sammy Joe Bell, a three‑time winner of the Leger Legends, is also expected to perform well, potentially pairing with Michael Herrington’s Anthropologist, an All‑Weather specialist. Doyle emphasizes that the race, inaugurated in 2010, has captured the public’s imagination and raised over £1 million for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund, underscoring the sport’s charitable spirit.
All of these insights were shared by Hollie Doyle during her conversation 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.