Betfred Howard Wright

Doncaster Cup (Group 2)

CABALLO De Mar (George Scott/Oisin Murphy) bounced back to form in a first-time tongue-tie to land the Group 2 Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter miles.

The 5/6 favourite beat the staying-on Beylerbeyi (Ian Williams/Clifford Lee) by a length and a quarter, with Ascending (Henry de Bromhead/Billy Lee) another three lengths away in third.

Berkshire Sundance made the running before the field tightened up over three furlongs from home. Caballo De Mar travelled strongly into the contest, disputed the lead and moved ahead two furlongs out.

He edged left after being ridden but kept on well through the final furlong, in contrast to his weak finish at Royal Ascot and York which prompted connections to reach for the tongue-tie. Beylerbeyi, held up last, made sustained progress on the outer and secured second inside the final furlong to enhance an excellent course record, while Ascending paid for racing close to the pace and could not match the winner late on.

Caballo De Mar’s success was authoritative and put to bed concerns about his finishing effort first raised when he stopped alarmingly in the Gold Cup at Ascot.

Fire holds on

Forbidden Fire (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) took the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes over seven furlongs, the 9/2 chance holding Rock Montreal (Roger Varian/Ray Dawson) by a head, giving Murphy a notable double on the day. Evens favourite Nabati (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) finished a length and a half farther back in third.

One of only a handful of debut juvenile winners for the stable this year, Forbidden Fire looked a smart prospect when scoring by five and a half lengths on her racecourse bow at Salisbury, and she delivered on that promise here, tracking the leaders before moving through to take over two furlongs from home.

She swerved left when asked for her effort over a furlong out but retained enough momentum to repel the strong late challenge of Rock Montreal, who came from off the pace and failed only narrowly.

Nabati made progress on the far side to dispute second before his effort flattened out inside the final furlong.

The winner showed both tactical speed and resolution on just her second start, and she wouldn’t be the first to deviate from a straight course in the closing stages at Doncaster, where the paddock can prove a distraction in the latter stages.

Although her waywardness under pressure suggests there is still some polish to be applied, she answered her rider’s call when challenged and emerged with her unbeaten record intact.

Final Objective prevails

Final Objective (Hamad Al Jehani/James Doyle) justified 9/4 favouritism in a fiercely contested Group 2 Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes.

The Wathnan Racing colt led only in the final 110 yards and held Crownbreaker (Kevin Philippart De Foy/David Egan) by a neck, with Flann Sunna (Simon & Ed Crisford/William Buick) half a length away in third in a blanket finish that saw the first six home separated by under a length and a half, with the winner going one better than he had over six furlongs in the Gimcrack Stakes at York.

In a race where hard luck was the order of the day for a few, fifth-placed In The Black being left short of room by the winner and stumbling after the line, Fast Track led or disputed the lead from the start and was still in there pitching until edged out of the places in the dying strides.

Flann Sunna, despite being hampered at the start and racing keenly, emerged with every chance inside the final furlong and comes out of the race with plenty of credit, but Final Objective, who had travelled close to the pace on the near side, edged ahead when it mattered despite drifting left towards the finish.

This was a proper test of speed as evidenced by the fact that Prix Morny runner-up Carry The Flag was unable to get to the front at any stage, beating just one home. Final Objective showed determination to edge a close finish.

The winning rider told ITV Racing: “He’s a horse who shows a bit of pace and we were happy with our decision to come here and he goes with a bit of give in the ground.”

There was a fairytale return to the saddle for ‘Slippers’ Madden in the Betfred Leger Legends Classified Stakes when he got a fine response from the Brian Ellison-trained Tolstoy to get up and win by half a length. “I had the whole family over last year but none of them have come this time, so I won’t be asking them again!,” he said.

“Brian told me he had a good chance going out. When I asked him for the extra he gave it to me. No matter what race you win the feeling is brilliant and riding with those other former jockeys was great.”

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Doncaster Thursday

Musical Times hits the perfect note

Betfred May Hill Stakes

(Group 2)

MUSICAL Times (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) preserved her unbeaten record with an emphatic success in the Group 2 Betfred May Hill Stakes on Thursday.

The 7/4 favourite travelled strongly in the centre group, moved through to lead over a furlong from home and quickly put daylight between herself and her rivals to score by a comprehensive seven and a half lengths from Scommessa Sicura (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy), who emerged best of the near-side runners, while Speckles (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) kept on for third, a further length back.

The winner had arrived after two novice victories over seven furlongs, but the step up to a mile and into group company brought further improvement.

Her smooth progress into contention and the authority of her finishing effort marked her down as an exciting prospect.

Sea Of Rain made the early running before weakening, while Scommessa Sicura and Speckles were left to make vain chase of the impressive winner.

Appleby said: “She’s handled everything and the race was faultless, wasn’t it?

“There was a nice pace on, she travelled into it, travelled up to leaders well and most importantly she accelerated, which is what you always like to see. We’ll head to the Fillies’ Mile.”

Waardah stays strong

The BetFred St Leger Meeting had begun with the “Ladies’ Day” appellation appropriate as much for the competitors as for the Town Moore crowd, with both group races on the opening day confined to fillies and mares.

Waardah (Owen Burrows/Callum Rodriguez) proved best in the Group 2 Betfred Park Hill Stakes over the full St Leger trip. The 5/2 chance came through to win by a length and three-quarters from Danielle (John & Thady Gosden/William Buick), with the front-running Consent (Sir Mark Prescott/Luke Morris) another length and a quarter away in third.

Consent took the field along and kicked for home approaching the two-furlong pole, and the winner was produced to challenge shortly after as the race finally developed in earnest. Waardah stayed on decisively to master Danielle, who made her effort from the rear and kept on well.

Waardah had finished in front of Consent and Danielle when a close third in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood last month (a race she won in 2025) and was confirming that form as well as her liking for a test of stamina. In winning here, she was also paying a compliment to Goodwood heroine Goodie Two Shoes, who is due to run in the Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown this weekend.

Vegas lands jackpot

Night In Vegas (Eve Johnson Houghton/Charles Bishop) justified 5/6 favouritism in the Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes over six and a half furlongs.

Prominent throughout, he was ridden two furlongs out and overhauled Satellite Of Love (Clive Cox/Rossa Ryan) inside the final 110 yards, running on to score by half a length. Dorigo (Kevin Ryan/Kevin Stott), who had made the running, was three and a half lengths farther back in third. Johnson Houghton said: “As I said to the owners after last time he won, this is jam now, but it’s lovely jam to get!

Rest of the card

Speed Of Sound (Richard Spencer/Saffie Osborne) made all to take the British Stallion Studs ‘Carrie Red’ EBF Fillies’ Nursery, drawing clear to hold Angel In My Heart by a length and three-quarters.

Bourbon Blues (Brian Meehan/Ryan Moore) has played bridesmaid in a few big handicaps this summer and deservedly landed a good pot in the Pertemps Network Handicap at 7/1, and making Moore’s record for the winning trainer a perfect three from three on turf since 2021. Primal (Andrew Balding/Marco Ghiani) took the Meadowhall X Flannels Beauty Bar Nursery, with the 5/1 shot showcasing his innate stamina to win despite hanging across rivals in the closing stages. There will be more to come from him as he fills his frame next season.