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Friday 11th September

1.35 Doncaster – Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2)

I have to admit, I usually tend to shy away from Clive Brittain’s horses but I think that would be a foolish thing to do in the opening contest. MISHEER opened her account in sparkling fashion with an 8L maiden success at Yarmouth and proved that was no fluke when winning a York listed affair a fortnight later. She tasted her only defeat so far when runner-up to the American horse in the Queen Mary, which I would suppose you could call a moral victory. She was back to winning ways in the Cherry Hinton beating the impressive Albany winner Habaayib in the process. I think Clive Brittain has done the sensible thing by giving her some time to get over those exertions, as fillies can often go over the top around this time of the year and a break will certainly have helped her. Therefore, before I put any cash on the line I would want to see her in the paddock. Any sign of her going in her coat and I would look elsewhere. For that reason I can’t out her on the shortlist but I shall be backing her if all looks well. Wouldn’t it be incredible if the highly tried STAR ROVER could put another one on the boards after an already busy season? I thought his winning days were behind him but he proved me wrong with a listed success at York last time, when he had MISTER MANANNAN a neck back in 2nd and ARCHERS ROAD well held in 6th. Can he repeat the form? I suspect not as MISTER MANANNAN should prove the better horse on slightly easier ground. Kevin Ryan has won this race twice in the last three years and he looks to have another decent claim in the shape of OUR JONATHAN. Unlike some of his rivals he has only had three starts, the last two of which were successful. I have seen a repeat of his listed victory at Dundalk and I have to say it looked impressive as to me he had plenty in reserve, suggesting that he is capable of much better. Another listed winner last time was PICCADILLY FILLY, who beat Angel’s Pursuit at Deauville. I haven’t seen the race but the fact that the runner up won here on Wednesday suggests it was a good effort and she can’t be ruled out despite her less fashionable connections.

SHORTLIST

MISTER MANANNAN

OUR JONATHAN

2.05 Doncaster – Ladbrokes Mallard Stakes

This is one of those races where if you asked 10 different people you would get 10 different answers. I have a sneaky feeling that RECORD BREAKER has a big win in him. After his impressive win at Hamilton in June, I thought the handicapper had his measure by putting him up 10lbs but how wrong I was. He ran a cracker off his new mark to chase home stable mate Drill Sergeant in the Duke Of Edinburgh. The soft ground was his undoing in the Northumberland Plate but he proved his Ascot run was no fluke when not beaten far, again at the Berkshire track. He looked to be in the mix in the Ebor before falling short in the closing stages so I am just hoping that it wasn’t the trip that found him out or else I am done for. FIULIN has run in some hot contests but not really done himself justice. This drop down in class will help and he is certain to get the trip but his big weight is a concern in such an open race. WALDVOGEL isn’t the horse I first thought he was, so would not be for me even with Fallon booked to ride. I thought NANTON ran a blinder to finish a close 4th in the Ebor but a 5lbs hike up the weights will make his life much tougher now. MANYRIVERSTOCROSS had been banging on the door before his well earned success in the Summer Stakes at Goodwood. He went up 4lbs for that but still ran a very big race to finish 6th in the Ebor, only beaten 1 1/2L. A further 3lbs is added tomorrow, so he will need to improve again but I wouldn’t rule it out. I don’t know what happened to DESERT SEA in the Ebor as he trailed in a well beaten last but one. Stamina certainly wasn’t the issue so as long as it was only a one off; he must have an outside chance here, off his current mark. JUST LILLE is a strange one as she had been plying her trade over 8 and 10F for much of the season. She was stepped up to this sort of trip at Warwick last time and duly obliged in what looked a reasonable contest. Therefore, although she is now on a lifetime high mark she still remains slightly unexposed over this sort of trip. She is a very likable mare with a good attitude so I wouldn’t put anyone off having a few sheckles each-way. BUGAKU is respected, especially off a 4lbs lower mark than when not beaten far at Kempton last week. HAWK MOUNTAIN is another likable animal mainly thanks to his consistency. He has gone up 13lbs since the start of the season but keeps on surprising us so he certainly looks one for the each-way punter. I don’t think DOLLY PENROSE can win on ground this fast but I wouldn’t be too quick to right off the only three-year-old in the race, COSMIC SUN, as the Classic Generation have won 7 of the last 10 renewals of this race. Richard Fahey’s runner ran his usual race when stepped up in trip in the Melrose Stakes at York, finishing a very creditable 4th and he should prove very dangerous to under estimate in receipt of his age allowance.

SHORTLIST

RECORD BREAKER

COSMIC SUN

(HAWK MOUNTAIN)

2.40 Doncaster – DFS Doncaster Cup (Group 2)

My brain is screaming at me that this is set up for GEORDIELAND as he is someway clear on official rating of his nearest rival. We all know the ins and outs of this horse, I would compare him to a moody teenager, but Shane Kelly seems to get on well with him and has coaxed him to a couple of impressive victories. That’s why I find it slightly strange that Mick Kinane has been booked to ride as he has never ridden the horse in the past. He is a top class jockey without a doubt but how will he react when he comes there cruising? Therefore, I am going to grab the bull by the horns and take him on with the Lonsdale Cup winner ASKAR TAU. He secured a five timer last season before finishing a very respectable 4th in the Cesarewitch. Because of the problems Marcus Tregoning was facing earlier in the season he didn’t make the racecourse until July, when he looked in need of the run when only 8th in the Goodwood Cup. He put that to good use next time at York, showing a resolute attitude to gallop on strongly to the line with DRILL SERGEANT held in second. The Johnston runner re-opposes on 3lbs better terms here so is entitled to get closer but I think of the two ASKAR TAU looks open to the more improvement. DEUTSCHLAND was relatively well fancied for the Ebor and didn’t run a bad race to finish just under 3L 8th. Fallon looks a positive booking but this is a big step up in class and he will have to improve a fair bit to trouble the principals. VICTORIA MONTOYA is down to run today in the Park Hill Stakes so may not take up this option but even if she did I think she would find one or two too good in this line up. DARLEY SUN looks a progressive animal after routing the field in the Brown Jack Stakes last time. Being a three-year-old he receives a healthy weight allowance tomorrow but only on three-year-old has won this race in the last decade so he does look to have something to prove.

SHORTLIST

ASKAR TAU

3.15 Doncaster – DFS May Hill Stakes (Group 2)

There have been some very nice fillies win this race down the year so we need to be on the lookout of a potential superstar. VIRGINIA HALL is the top rated filly after a consistent season which saw her finish runner-up in a Deauville Group 3 last month. Sir Mark Prescott certainly knows the time of day when it comes to top-class fillies but I am not sure she is destined for the top. CLARIETTA has won her last two starts and should continue to improve on that but she is only rated 85 at the moment and looks better with some cut in the ground. GALLIC STAR ran respectably in the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes in August but again doesn’t look to be a superstar. HIBAAYEB is still a maiden and doesn’t look up to this level along with POLLENATOR, although I am always loathed to oppose a Hannon juvenile. QUIET could be anything but impressed with a convincing success on her debut at Leicester. The fact that Roger Charlton has stepped her up in class so quickly suggests he thinks a fair bit of her, so she goes into the race with strong claims. However, SETA earns my acclaim, as she was simply awesome when winning on her debut at Newmarket last month. The Newmarket dogs had been barking her name for a while and she was well supported ahead of her maiden. She didn’t disappoint with an outrageous 8L success and she is being touted by many as next season’s 1000 Guineas winner. It’s probably a bit early to go down that route as a lot can happen between now and May but I think she will take all of the beating here.

SHORTLIST

SETA

3.50 Doncaster – Frank Whittle Partnership Handicap

There are plenty of well known names on show here, a few of which I gave up on a while ago. Because of that, this is a race I am prepared to sit out as horses I give up on have a habit of biting me on the backside. JIMMY STYLES has cost me a couple of times this year so I am reluctant to support him but if he repeats his effort at Newmarket last month in the Hopeful Stakes he should prove difficult to beat. His big weight is a slight concern but I believe that he is the best horse in the race. LOWTHER looks the easy option after a much improved effort at Chester last time. If he has stayed on the rail he would probably have won, but he has only gone up 2lbs as a result and Fallon looks a positive booking. I do have a very slight concern over the drop down in trip as he did start his career in a bumper. The rest all have questions to answer in my opinion. MUSAALEM won well here in July but was awful of his revised rating at Newmarket last time and looks handicapped to the hilt. BRAVE PROSPECTOR could be given an each-way squeak now that he is back to the same mark as when winning at York last year but he does have a disappointing effort at York to overcome. SPANISH BOUNTY isn’t the easiest horse to catch right but has the ability if it’s a going day. I like EXCUSEZ MOI and there is no doubt he is weighted to go close but he is one of those that keeps costing me. BIG NOISE has been running well recently but I think he probably needs stepping up in trip rather than down. DRAWNFROMTHEPAST hasn’t been in the winners’ enclosure since landing the Windsor Castle in 2007 but on the best of his form can be given a squeak. I don’t think Celtic Sultan is a 6f horse, CASTLES IN THE AIR looks too high in the weights and PEARLY WEY has been struggling for form recently.

SHORTLIST

JIMMY STYLES

(BRAVE PROSPECTOR)

4.25 Doncaster – Sands Venue And State Club Gainsborough Conditions Stakes

Although only 4 runners are set to go to post, this still looks a tricky race to get to the bottom off. It was hard not to be impressed by AL ZIR when he won in the fashion of a very smart horse in the making at Newmarket in July. Such was his dominance; he was eased in the final 50 yards and still run out a 4L winner. You would expect him to come on for the run and another convincing victory here should see him take up his entry in either the Dewhurst or Racing Post Trophy. PRIVATE STORY hasn’t been set such lofty heights as at home he is a pretty laid back animal, so not a lot was expected off him ahead of his debut at Sandown last month. The apparent stable second string was allowed to go off at an un-fancied 25/1 but he beat his stable-mate 1/2L for a Hannon 1-2. That suggests that he is open to further improvement and it is always dangerous to underestimate horses which show little at home but save plenty for the racecourse. TREADWELL holds some lofty entries and it is easy to see why after an encouraging effort in the Coventry Stakes. He hasn’t been out since so may well have suffered a set back but as long as he has suffered no ill effects he should improve for the step up in trip. PRACTITIONER hasn’t struck me as the most straight forward of animals and I wasn’t surprised to see the blinkers go on at Newbury last month. Even so, he was well held in the listed contest and I don’t think he is one to trust.

SHORTLIST

AL ZIR

4.55 Doncaster – Agriargo UK (McCormick) Classified Stakes

Just how good is PRINCE OF JOHANNE? Un-raced as a juvenile he needed a couple of pipe-openers before scoring at Newbury in May. He followed that with another solid performance at Windsor and earned the hat-trick at Sandown last time. The step up to 10f clearly suited but it took a bit of persuasion from Ryan Moore to finally force his head in front. I am not saying he is un-genuine, he is clearly a talented animal but still very inexperienced and as he continues to learn his trade he will only get better and better. My only slight concern is that he is up another 5lbs tomorrow and probably won’t be much of a price, so I might be looking at an each-way angle. PRESBYTERIAN NUN could be one to come into that bracket. I think she suffered last year when the handicapper put her up based on a couple of efforts and she simply wasn’t able to be competitive off that sort of mark. However, she has been coming down the weights and this coincided with a much better effort at York last time. I also think that the slight drop in trip will help and as long as she is value I might be tempted to play each-way. THIN RED LINE is another that looks to be back to a handy mark at the moment and I think the drop back to an extended 10f should see him get competitive. I am also pleased to see Paul Hanagan back on board as he got a nice tune out of the horse at Pontefract. MURAWEG has only had four starts so is entitled to come on for the experience. Although clearly not one of Hamdan’s stable stars he has done little wrong this season and I thought he ran a cracker at York last time even though he wasn’t handed the easiest of draws. There are no prices available at the moment so he may not be each-way value but as I see it, he is more than capable of getting involved in the shake up.

SHORTLIST

(MURAWEG)

(PRESBYTERIAN NUN)

(THIN RED LINE)