As our ambassador Hollie Doyle gets closer to her comeback following a five-month injury lay-off, she looks ahead to some exciting action on Sky Sports Racing from Doncaster this weekend. It looks like being a lucky 13th for master trainer Aidan O'Brien in the William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes (1.30) at Doncaster on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Racing. The Ballydoyle maestro heads the market with NOBLE EXHIBIT, who will be partnered by Ryan Moore in his pursuit of a first Group 1.
The son of Frankel looks the perfect type for this end-of-season assignment following his impressive win in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at The Curragh - like the Futurity, a traditional pointer to next season's Classics. He coped well with the yielding ground that day so the soft conditions on Town Moor shouldn't be an issue for the handsome chestnut. Karl Burke has been bullish in his assessment of Noble Exhibit's most dangerous rival Burning Up, who confirmed his liking for soft ground when defying a penalty in a Haydock Park novice before going close in better company at Newmarket.
His second to O'Brien's more experienced Haffner in the Group 2 Royal Lodge can be upgraded as he just got caught out in the dip before running on strongly. This more conventional track should be ideal for him to cement his own classic credentials. Never miss a story with all the latest racing news, interviews and features on your phone.
Find out more Godolphin have obvious claims with the jet-setting Al Hudaiba, who won a Grade 1 in Canada last month after taking the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in the summer. He's quirky though and doesn't appeal to me as much as his market rivals. BENGAL TIGER will be hard to beat in the Listed William Hill Remembering Sue Wright Prospect Stakes (2.05) at Doncaster.
Better known as the Doncaster Stakes, this 6f sprint for two-year-olds is the ideal stepping stone for the son of No Nay Never who won his maiden as Naas by an incredible 12 lengths. This race looks set to be dominated by the Irish with Paddy Twomey's Hi Corbett Court proving his liking for testing ground when beating all but a better-fancied stable companion in a valuable sales race at The Curragh. Richard and Peter Fahey take them on with Crystal Queen who was second in an Ayr nursery after struggling in Group races in the summer but she needs to take a big step forward.
Adam Kirby has his team in fine form and I'm expecting ANCIENT STATE to supplement his course and distance win at the Leger Festival in the Richard James Hone Memorial Handicap (12.55) at Doncaster. The four-year-old has run well in Class 2 company since last month's success and will definitely enjoy the ease in the ground with a relatively light weight to shoulder. Mick Appleby's Al Shabab Storm went close in the Portland at this track before chasing home his highly progressive stable mate Coul Angel at York and gets on well with talented 5lb claimer Harry Vigors.
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