Friday Doncaster Preview

Added: (Mon Sep 20 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - 1.35 – Traditionally won by some very precocious two-year-olds some of whom have gone on to make fair class sprinters as older horses, the Flying Childers features a mix of youngsters from all over Europe in what is arguably a really good renewal.

Most eyes will quite rightly be on Zebedee who took his juvenile record to five wins from six career outings with a cosy win in the Tattersalls Millions last time out a race which showed us that give in the ground holds no fears for the son of Invincible Spirit.

His one defeat came in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he probably raced too freely that day (best suited by hold up tactics) and despite that reverse the form has been cemented in pretty good style since.

This looks his toughest assignment to date though and I fancy he will have to improve again to beat MEOW and Keratiya.

I am particularly keen on the former after she followed up her Queen Mary second with a hard earned win in a Listed race at the Curragh.

A repeat of that run obviously wouldn’t be good enough to land this contest, but that was her first outing since Ascot and with a fair draw in stall seven she gets a narrow vote over the Hannon horse.

Dangers – Zebedee and Dinkum Diamond


2.05 – Nanton came from near enough last to first to land the Mallard Handicap last year and with a good pace on from the start this could once again fall into the lap of a hold up horse again.

Despite being beaten at York last time out I am still inclined to give the three-year-old Zuider Zee another chance here.

He wasn’t beaten all that far by Mount Athos and Tactician (has a decent pull for that defeat with both of them) and had he been ridden more forcefully by Richard Mullen I reckon he would have given the winner plenty to think about in the closing stages.

That was his first attempt at the trip and with a good pace guaranteed here he can bounce back to winning form.

Hanoverian Prince ran a cracker in a very hot 10f handicap at Sandown last time out, but there has to be a doubt about him getting the trip if they go a true pace here, while a mark of 97 maybe a step too far for Lady Éclair (Jedi fancied to reverse Chester form with her) and Maxim Gorky would almost certainly have wanted the ground to stay on the soft side of good.

Dangers - Plymouth Rock and Jedi


2.40 – The drying ground may not play in the favour of Opinion Poll who has to shoulder a penalty here and therefore needs everything in his favour to follow up his success in the Lonsdale Cup over Samuel.

With Dirar up in grade, Tastahil not having gone on from his fair spring form and Electrolyser better on a really quick surface it may well pay to focus on two of last year’s up first and second ASKAR TAU and Darley Sun.

The former has only had one start this season when never posing any kind of threat behind Illustrious Blue in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Word from the yard is that he has been working like his old self since then and the re-booking of Ryan Moore is an obvious positive.

Last year’s Cesarewitch winner, Darley Sun, has been a particular disappointment this year. He started off with a fair seasonal debut behind Akmal at Sandown, but his run in the Ascot Gold Cup was simply too bad to be true and although not disgraced in the Ebor after being well backed he simply doesn’t look the same horse. It could well be that we merely over estimated him, but on last year’s Doncaster Cup form it goes without saying he has little to find.

Dangers – Darley Sun and Opinion Poll


3.15 – The May Hill Stakes normally goes to a well fancied filly and despite their in and out season Godolphin can pick up this Group Two prize with their likeable young staying prospect WHITE MOONSTONE.

The daughter of Dynaformer impressed me by the way she made up her ground from the rear of the field in the Sweet Solera at Newmarket and then quickened again to put the race to bed beating Crying Lightening by a length and a quarter.

I suspect there is plenty more left in the locker from this most likeable filly and the galloping mile should prove to be right up her street.

However, this is no gimme, Midnight Caller won doing handsprings at Leicester (had every right to do so (but looks the type to develop into a classy staying filly in time, while on the bare form of what she has achieved, Sonning Rose is interesting if you cast aside her Prestige Stakes run on ground that was probably too soft for her.

Dangers – Midnight Caller and Sonning Rose


3.50 – Down to a mark of 99, Damien is a potentially big layer here if he puts his best foot forward.

Well backed on his return to five furlongs at York last time out, he was never going at any stage of the contest, looking unbalanced and ungamely and maybe worth another chance.

But despite him being held in high regard he has only hit the gold medal once in 14 starts and there are better each-way players in a really open contest NASRI could find this intermediate trip perfect.

He was far from disgraced in the Buckingham Palace Stakes and the handicapper has deemed it right and proper to drop in two pounds to an enticing mark of 96.

Others to bear in mind include Mr David (well drawn in 18) and running over what could be his optimum trip, the consistent Irish Heartbeat and likeable bottom weight Take Ten.

Dangers – Mr David and Taken Ten

• All prices correct at time of writing.

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