Our ambassador, jockey Hollie Doyle, shares her thoughts on the action at Town Moor, offering her perspective on the Doncaster Cup, the Flying Childers, and the Flying Scotsman races. With a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the marquee attraction Caballo De Mar in the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (3.00) at Doncaster this Friday, trainer Aidan O'Brien appears poised to claim the prize for the first time in 18 years. The Ballydoyle mastermind has not won this marathon since Honolulu’s triumph in 2008 – a year after Septimus delivered his solitary historic victory in the same contest.
Nonetheless, Doyle believes that Queenstown will correct the record under the guidance of Ryan Moore, especially after the horse’s recent Group Three win at The Curragh last month. The six‑year‑old gelding must now build on that form to avenge a loss to Caballo De Mar in last autumn’s Prix du Cadran. Doyle is confident that the Galileo‑bred son can deliver, given that the conditions of this Group Two event suit him perfectly.
There is no doubt about the credentials of George Scott’s likely favourite, who already boasts two Group One victories on his résumé. However, the horse must rebound from two puzzling performances in the Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York last month, where he faded quickly after a strong start. While the Doncaster Cup tests stamina to the limit, the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25) over five furlongs showcases pure speed. Richard Hannon’s filly Pershaada possesses that speed in abundance.
Doyle notes that her trainer has a solid track record at this meeting and has identified a prime opportunity for Middleham Park Racing’s daughter of Persian Force to claim her second Group race of the season. Pershaada dazzled in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at the Goodwood Festival, pulling away from a quality field that included the subsequent Listed winner Sale Shark. Although Pershaada struggled against older, more seasoned sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, Doyle believes she will re‑establish her dominance against her own age group with the talented jockey Sean Levey aboard.
Doyle also points out that Aidan O'Brien’s Carry The Flag may be slightly underrated after setting strong fractions in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville last time out. The colt was only two lengths short of victory on soft ground, suggesting he could be a serious contender over the minimum distance of the Flying Childers. She was particularly impressed by Forgotten Fire’s debut win in a novice race at Salisbury.
The Andrew Balding‑trained 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 when she over‑ran her rivals over six furlongs, and her pedigree is impeccable – she is a half‑sister to Group winners See The Fire and Venetian Prince and out of the Juddmonte International‑winning mare Arabian Queen.
Godolphin’s Nabati is likely to attract punters as he moves up in grade. His sole defeat came in a narrow loss when he challenged Arapaho Gold in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury, a race subsequently won by Michael Dods’ colt in the Gimcrack.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Night Of Thunder could be a dark horse, as his entry in the Group One Middle Park suggests, but Doyle feels that Forbidden Fire will set the Town Moor turf alight. The British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (3.35) on Friday promises a fiercely competitive field. Doyle’s standout is Ralph Beckett’s Nochebuena, a novice winner over the same course and distance back in June who narrowly missed holding on in a strong fillies’ race at Ascot the following month – a race that was eventually won by Hoseki.
That performance hinted at her ability, and even with a four‑pound rise in the handicap, she could still claim the prize. An alternative to consider is Marco Botti’s Golden Muse, a filly the assistant trainer once backed at Wolverhampton in early spring. Though she is still early in her turf career, she showed promise over a shorter trip at the same track earlier in the year. The veteran stars of yesteryear will be thrilled to take part in the Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes (1.50) at Doncaster on Friday.
The excitement of returning to the track should give them a boost, and Doyle predicts that recently retired jockey Joe Fanning will become the toast of Town Moor. Fanning, who concluded an illustrious career this summer, will ride Joe Parr’s Wield, a horse that finished strongly over a mile at Southwell on its last outing.
If Wield can repeat that performance on turf, he could be a serious contender on his eighth attempt. Sammy Joe Bell, a three‑time winner of this race, is expected to perform well again, especially with the support of the Michael Herrington‑trained Anthropologist, another All‑Weather specialist. Since its inception in 2010, this race has captured the public imagination and has raised more than £1 million for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. It stands as a testament to the dedication of everyone involved, from the jockeys who graciously compete to the countless staff working behind the scenes.
Doyle shared these insights during an interview with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft. Fans can watch every race of the Betfred St Leger Festival live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 512) from Thursday through Sunday.