Our ambassador Hollie Doyle gives her verdict on the action from Town Moor, providing her take on the Doncaster Cup, Flying Childers and Flying Scotsman. With question marks hanging over star attraction Caballo De Mar in the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes (3.00) at Doncaster on Friday, Aidan O'Brien looks set to take the honours for the first time in 18 years. The master of Ballydoyle hasn't won the marathon since Honolulu galloped to victory in 2008 - 12 months after Septimus delivered his only previous win in the historic race.
However, I expect Queenstown to set the record straight under Ryan Moore following his reappearance win in a Group Three at The Curragh last month. The six-year-old needs to build on that to avenge a defeat by Caballo De Mar in last autumn's Prix du Cadran but I believe this gelded son of the great Galileo can pull it off with conditions very much to his liking in this Group Two. There's no questioning the record of George Scott's likely favourite who has a brace of Group Ones on his CV, but he needs to bounce back from two baffling runs in the Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York last month when he emptied quickly.
While the Doncaster Cup is all about stamina, the Group Two Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25) over five-furlongs showcases raw speed and Richard Hannon's Pershaada has that in abundance. My old guv'nor has a good record at this meeting and has found a great opportunity for Middleham Park Racing's daughter of Persian Force to win her second Group race of the season. She was electric in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at the Goodwood Festival when she eased away from a good field including the re-opposing subsequent Listed winner and market rival Sale Shark.
It didn't work out for Pershaada against the older, more battle-hardened sprinters in the Nunthorpe at York, but she sets the standard back against her own generation with the excellent Sean Levey in charge. I do think Aidan O'Brien's Carry The Flag is a little overlooked, however, after setting strong fractions in the Group One Prix Morny in Deauville last time. Beaten only two lengths in soft ground, he promises to be a handful back over the minimum distance.
I was most impressed by Forgotten Fire's debut win in a Salisbury novice so don't be surprised to see the Andrew Balding-trained filly take the step up in class in her stride in the Listed Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes (1.15) on Friday. Jeff Smith's beautiful home-bred looked a stakes filly in the making when showing a great attitude to slam her rivals over six furlongs and can find the necessary improvement over this longer trip. She's impeccably bred, being a half-sister to Group winners See The Fire and Venetian Prince and is out of Jeff's wonderful Juddmonte International winner Arabian Queen.
I can see why Godolphin's Nabati will be popular among punters as he steps up in grade. His only defeat was a narrow one when he pushed Arapaho Gold all the way in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury before Michael Dods' colt won the Gimcrack. Charlie Appleby's son of Night Of Thunder could be anything at this stage, as his entry in the Group One Middle Park suggests, but I have a feeling Forbidden Fire will set the Town Moor turf alight.
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