3 minute read

Sam King takes a look at the feature Doncaster Cup Stakes on day two of the Betfred St Leger Festival.

As has been the case in recent years, there will be a small but select field lining up for the Doncaster Cup Stakes on Friday, with plenty of old rivals ready to do battle on the Town Moor again. 

Last year's winner Trueshan has been something of a staying legend for connections and although he arrives on the back of a smooth victory at Sandown last time, he'll likely need more on this forecast quicker ground if he is to defend his crown successfully. 

Sweet William filled the runner-up spot twelve months ago, but the winner made his challenge towards the middle of the track, while Rab Havlin stuck to the rail to race with the rest of the field. John and Thady Gosden's contender looks to be peaking now aged five and with no Kyprios, who he's finished second behind at Royal Ascot and Goodwood, so it's easy to see why he heads the market. 

That said, he's never looked the most straightforward of conveyances under pressure and this could turn out to be a tactical affair. There's no doubt Sweet William holds major claims on the form book, but he appears to be best when played late and it could work out that there's not much pace on. 

With that in mind, it could pay to side with his stablemate Gregory, who might be the one to make the running under James Doyle. He was by no means disgraced when third behind Vauban in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York last month, rallying once headed off the front end over a furlong and a half shorter. 

James Doyle may be able to dictate matters out in front here and with drying ground conditions to suit, he looks a more solid option than Point Lonsdale. The Aidan O'Brien-trained five-year-old was fourth in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last season and there's no doubt he has the talent and class to land this prize. However, he's yet to totally convinceover staying trips and arrives following a tame effort when fifth behind Gregory in the Lonsdale Cup at York. 

Andrew Balding's Coltrane won this in 2022, but he's hardly been a model of consistency since finishing well beaten behind Kyprios (and Sweet William) at both Ascot and Goodwood on his last two outings. The form of his success in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on his seasonal reappearance would give him a squeak, but he badly needs to bounce back to his best, while Wise Eagle looks to have it all to do based on the formbook.