Doncaster Friday

A FLOP in the Gimcrack Stakes when racing far too freely, Nigel Tinkler’s National Stakes winner Ubettabelieveit bounced back to form to beat Sacred (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) by a short-head in the Bombardier Flying Childers Stakes, thereby landing the biggest shock in this contest since Scobie Breasley’s Hittite Glory scored a feted 100/1 success in 1975.

This time the SP was 40/1 but, like Hittite Glory’s win, this was no fluke, with Rowan Scott doing a better job of settling the talented winner than Oisin Murphy managed at York, although the drop back to the minimum trip certainly helped in that regard.

This was easily the biggest success of Scott’s career having only ridden out his claim fairly recently, but it was a double heartbreak for Tom Marquand, who learned that his anticipated ride on English King in the St Leger was not to be, and his mount looked the likeliest winner for most of this journey, only to be picked up in the last couple of strides.

Measure Of Magic (Johnny Murtagh/David Egan) was always in the van and kept on well for third, a length and three-quarters behind the winner. The winning son of Kodiac is another bred by Ringfort Stud.

On the plus side for Marquand, the blow was softened as he was informed at the start that he had inherited the ride on Joseph O’Brien’s fancied Galileo Chrome in the St Leger, so he’s probably not feeling as miserable as backers of Sacred, who traded at 1.04 in running.

Of course, Marquand’s good fortune came at the expense of Shane Crosse, whose positive Covid-19 test must be a huge blow to a rider looking forward to what might have been the biggest day of his nascent career.

Mission accomplished

The Group 2 Doncaster Cup was won in clear-cut style by 6/4 favourite Spanish Mission (Andrew Balding/William Buick), who has won both starts since joining his current yard from David Simcock, and last year’s Jockey Club Derby winner seems back in the groove, whether or not the move to Kingsclere is the catalyst.

He was a comfortable three lengths too strong for James Fanshawe’s Selino (Cieren Fallon), with the pace-setting The Grand Visir (Ian Williams/Jim Crowley) another four lengths away in a race which was run at a modest pace and where the hold-up horses struggled to land a blow.

The winner has shown his best form at short of two miles in the past, but stamina was not tested as much as tactical speed in this contest, and his ability to quicken was arguably the big difference between himself and some stouter opposition.

Winning rider William Buick was hopeful that he might develop into a Gold Cup horse next year, but he will need to prove himself in a more truly run race than this to convince the sceptics.

The Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes was the best contest on the Doncaster undercard, and it produced a thrilling finish as Frankie Dettori squeezed 17/2 shot New Mandate through the narrowest of gaps between Laneqash and the far rail.

Winner of a class 4 nursery at Sandown on his previous start, and he was stepping up markedly in form terms to land this seven-furlong prize.

Ray Dawson rode a winner on the first day of the meeting, and doubled his tally when scoring in the six-and-a-half-furlong handicap aboard Tranchee for trainer Dave Loughnane. Loughnane himself is enjoying his best season, with Group 3 glory coming his way in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot in July courtesy of Santosha.

The prestigious Mallard Handicap was won by the Roger Varian-trained Apparate (David Egan), who overcame trouble to run out a ready winner to prove his stamina at the second attempt at the St Leger trip.