Doncaster spotlight with Ascot form in evidence
Hollie Doyle, speaking ahead of the Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster, highlighted a clutch of prospects for Friday’s feature races while drawing attention to recent form lines that include performances at Ascot.
Doncaster Cup: Queenstown the one to watch
With Caballo De Mar’s participation in the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup under a cloud, Doyle suggested that Aidan O’Brien’s Queenstown is the most likely to take the honours for Ballydoyle. The six-year-old gelding resumed this season with a win in a Group Three contest at The Curragh and is positioned to improve on last season’s Prix du Cadran effort when beaten by Caballo De Mar.
Doyle pointed to Queenstown’s stamina and prevailing conditions at Doncaster as factors that ought to suit, while acknowledging that the market may still favour George Scott’s rival, whose record includes top-level wins but who has produced two disappointing efforts in recent staying contests.
Sprint shape: Pershaada sets the standard
Over the minimum trip in the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes, Doyle singled out Richard Hannon’s Pershaada as the standard-bearer for her generation. The filly recorded a notable success in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood earlier in the season and, despite a harder task against older sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, remains a leading contender back against her own age group.
Doyle also flagged Aidan O’Brien’s Carry The Flag as an improver to watch, following a prominent run in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville. The colt’s strong finishing effort on testing ground last time suggests he could be effective over five furlongs if he reproduces that form.
Listed Flying Scotsman: debutantes and pedigrees
In the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes, Forgotten Fire attracted attention after a decisive Salisbury novice win. Trained by Andrew Balding and bred as a half-sister to multiple Group performers, the filly steps up in class and trip with the form and breeding to suggest she can handle the rise.
Godolphin’s Nabati and Charlie Appleby’s Forbidden Fire were noted as other interesting entries, the former progressing through the listed ranks and the latter carrying entries in top juvenile company, leaving room for improvement as they move through the season.
Competitive fillies’ handicap and the Leger Legends
For the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap, Doyle favoured Ralph Beckett’s Nochebuena, who finished a close second in a strong Ascot fillies’ contest earlier in the summer. That Ascot run, which has been franked by subsequent performances, underpins her claims despite a small rise in the weights.
The novelty and charity focus of the Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes was also highlighted. The race, now a regular part of the St Leger week, has raised significant funds for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund since its inception and showcases former jockeys returning to the saddle in a light-hearted competitive environment.
Context for festivalgoers
Doyle’s assessments stitch together recent summer form from major meetings such as Goodwood, York, Ascot and The Curragh, offering a view of how juveniles and stayers who have already shown ability might fare on Town Moor. For those following the St Leger Festival, the previews underline the value of considering where horses achieved their best efforts this season when assessing their Doncaster prospects.
This article may have been prepared in whole or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
