Our ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her insights on the action at Town Moor, offering a detailed perspective on the Doncaster Cup, the Flying Childers, and the Flying Scotsman. The headline attraction for the weekend is the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (3.00) at Doncaster, where the future of the race hangs in the balance. With doubts lingering over the form of Caballo De Mar, Aidan O'Brien appears poised to claim his first victory in the event in 18 years. The legendary trainer from Ballydoyle has not lifted the marathon trophy since Honolulu’s triumph in 2008, a win that came a year after Septimus delivered his solitary success in the historic contest.
Nevertheless, Doyle believes that Queenstown, now under the guidance of Ryan Moore, will restore the race’s traditional hierarchy. Moore’s recent Group Three win at The Curragh last month demonstrated the six‑year‑old’s improvement, and Doyle expects the gelding to build on that performance to avenge a previous defeat by Caballo De Mar in last autumn’s Prix du Cadran. The son of the great Galileo is well‑suited to the soft, testing conditions that typically define this Group Two race, and Doyle is confident he can seize the advantage.
On the other side of the card, George Scott’s likely favourite carries an impressive résumé, boasting two Group One victories. However, the horse has shown vulnerability after two puzzling efforts in the Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York, where he faded dramatically. While the Doncaster Cup is fundamentally a test of stamina, the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25) over five furlongs showcases pure speed. Here, Richard Hannon’s Pershaada shines, possessing the raw acceleration required for a sprint contest.
Doyle notes that her former trainer has a strong record at this meeting and has identified a prime opportunity for Middleham Park Racing’s daughter of Persian Force. Pershaada captured her second Group race of the season after a dazzling display in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, where she pulled away from a solid field that included the subsequent Listed winner Sale Shark.
Although she struggled against older, more seasoned sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, Doyle believes she will dominate her own generation when paired with the talented jockey Sean Levey. Turning to the O'Brien stable, Doyle feels that Carry The Flag may be undervalued.
The colt set a solid tempo in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville, finishing only two lengths behind on soft ground. That performance suggests he possesses the turn of foot to be a serious contender over the minimum distance in the Flying Childers. In the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (1.15) on Friday, Doyle was impressed by Forgotten Fire’s debut win in a Salisbury novice race. Trained by Andrew Balding, the filly could easily step up in class, especially given her pedigree.
She is a half‑sister to Group winners See The Fire and Venetian Prince and out of the Juddmonte International champion Arabian Queen, indicating a deep well of stamina and class. Godolphin’s Nabati is another contender that Doyle expects to attract punters.
The colt’s sole defeat came in a narrow loss to Arapaho Gold in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury, a race that Michael Dods’ colt subsequently won in the Gimcrack. Nabati’s consistency and improvement suggest he could thrive when moved up in grade. Charlie Appleby’s son of Night Of Thunder, entered in the Group One Middle Park, remains a mystery, but Doyle senses that Forbidden Fire could ignite the Town Moor turf with a spectacular performance. The British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (3.35) 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 ultimately won by Hoseki. That near‑miss indicates she can handle a weight increase of four pounds and still contest for the prize.
A solid alternative is Marco Botti’s Golden Muse, a filly Doyle once rode to victory at Wolverhampton in early spring. Although still early in her turf career, Golden Muse displayed promise over a shorter trip at the same venue earlier in the year, suggesting she could improve with the added distance. The Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes (1.50) at Doncaster will see former stars return to the track, generating excitement among the racing community.
Doyle predicts that the recently retired jockey Joe Fanning will be the focal point of the event. 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 in its last outing. If Wield can replicate that finish on turf, it could secure a memorable comeback for Fanning on his eighth attempt. Veteran jockey Sammy Joe Bell, a three‑time winner of the Leger Legends race, is also expected to perform well, this time aboard Michael Herrington’s Anthropologist, an All‑Weather specialist.
Since its inception in 2010, the Leger Legends race has captured public imagination and raised more than £1 million for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. Doyle emphasizes the importance of the collective effort—from the jockeys who graciously volunteer their services to the dedicated staff working behind the scenes—to make the event such a success. In an interview with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft, Doyle offered these observations and more, underscoring her deep knowledge of the festival’s nuances. Fans can watch every race of the Betfred St Leger Festival live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 512) from Thursday through Sunday, ensuring full coverage of the drama, strategy, and excitement that define this premier racing weekend.