Doncaster Friday

Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup (Group 2)

SWEET William (John and Thady Gosden/Rab Havlin) landed the Group 2 Doncaster Cup in 2024 and staged a repeat performance to defeat three-year-old Pendragon (Sir Mark Prescott/Luke Morris) by three and three quarter lengths to gain his first win since. Sent off a warm 10/11 favourite, Sweet William was slightly squeezed out at the start but he soon recovered and, helped by a strong pace set by Sunway, powered clear in the last half-mile to beat Pendragon and Hipop De Loire (Willie Mullins/William Buick) convincingly.

John Gosden said: “It’s lovely to win a race in memory of Howard Wright who was a great friend of all of ours. I’ve been on the phone to Philippa (Cooper, owner) and she wants to go out on a high this year and build up to the Doncaster Cup next year via a few other races.

“They’re great these Cup horses; people remember them, enjoy them. Stradivarius, Trawlerman and now this horse; they’re exciting for the crowd because a lot of our flat horses disappear too quickly.”

By finishing third, Hipop De Loire has qualified to run in the Melbourne Cup.

Revival blitzes rivals

A full-sister to Nunthorpe winner Winter Power, Revival Power (Tim Easterby/Oisin Murphy) proved herself in the same league with a demolition job in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, leading from the start and showing her rivals a clean pair of heels. Those who tried to chase her early finished well held, and it was Kansas (Aidan O’Brien/Tom Marquand) and Dickensian (Kevin Ryan/Shane Gray) who were left to pick up the pieces, with the margins a length and a half and a neck.

Revival Power - who won the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York last month - drifted to 17/2, but continued Easterby’s excellent recent form on the back of a six-timer across the cards for the stable on Sunday.

Easterby said: “She could gallop from the word go. She’ll improve again at three and is one of those fantastic horses to train, and you’re lucky to get a good one like this.

“She’s very, very similar to Winter Power. She’s just very fast. Her sister was a little hyper but this filly is more relaxed. We’ve trained her very much like Winter Power, very calmly; don’t do anything out of the ordinary. It wouldn’t do her any good and this is where I want to gallop her, on the track.”

Avicenna delivers

Avicenna (Roger Varian/William Buick) followed a promising maiden victory at the track with victory in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes, taking time to hit full stride but challenging late between runners to get the better of favourite Hankelow (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) and Sir Albert (Andrew Balding/P.J. McDonald) by a nose and half a length respectively. The son of Starspangledbanner was justifying the decision of Sheikh Mohammed to send several juveniles to Varian this season under the Godolphin banner.

Varian thanked Godolpin for the opportunity, adding: “We’ll give his next race a bit of thought. I’ll watch this back and see how he comes out of it; he will get a mile well, whether it be this year or next. He’s a horse to look forward to.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Amelia Earheart lost out narrowly in the seven-furlong maiden as Classic Cuvee gave Rodger Varien and Oisin Murphy another winner on the card.

Doncaster Thursday

AYLIN (Karl Burke/David Egan) stayed on best to take the Group 2 Betfred May Hill Stakes on the opening day of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster.

The daughter of St Mark’s Basilica was held up in the early stages but showed good determination as she cut through the field to win by three parts of a length from Pacific Mission (Andrew Balding/Colin Keane), with Sugar Island (Aidan O’Brien/Christophe Soumillon) half a length further back in third. There was quite a stiff headwind for the runners to cope with and 5/1 shot Aylin was helped by being held up, as she overturned Prestige Stakes form with favourite Moon Target, that filly disappointing having raced without cover. Aylin was a third May Hill winner for Burke who also saddled Laurens in 2017 and Darnation in 2023; she has options in either the Fillies’ Mile at Ascot or the Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

Santorini toughs it out

The Group 2 Park Hill Stakes for fillies and mares saw Santorini Star (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) make all the running and fend off a host of challengers in the closing stages to continue an excellent run for her trainer as well as owners Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy.

Sent off at 7/2, the daughter of Golden Horn was following up a handicap win over two miles at York and her stamina was a big asset with the headwind against the runners in the home straight. Challenged on all sides from early in the straight, she kept on relentlessly to defy Consent (Sir Mark Prescott/Luke Morris) and Crepe Suzette (John and Thady Gosden/Rab Havlin) by a neck and two lengths.