Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle is hoping Trueshan will bounce right back to his best in the Betfred Doncaster Cup on Friday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
It's great to have one of my favourite horses TRUESHAN back on the track in the Group 2 Betfred Doncaster Cup (3.00) on Friday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Trueshan returns to Town Moor with a score to settle after being beaten narrowly by Coltrane in this race last year. He did exact revenge in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Champions Day the following month but was well behind his arch rival in the Sagaro, when he clearly wasn't at his best.
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It'll be good to see where he's at and if the ground doesn't dry out too much, I'm hoping he can show enough of his old sparkle to run a big race.
This isn't just a two-horse race, of course, with John and Thady Gosden's improving Sweet William stepping into Pattern company for the first time following his second in the Ebor and Aidan O'Brien's Group One-winning journeyman Broome tackling a new trip.
Digging for gold in Flying Childers
After winning at the highest level on The Platinum Queen last season, it would be great to record another Pattern success on her half-brother FOOL'S GOLD in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (2.25).
I sat on Richard Spencer's colt at the start of the season and really liked him, so it wasn't a surprise to see him come on in leaps and bounds from his debut run to win a Windsor maiden earlier this month. It's a big jump in class, taking on runners such as Royal Ascot winner Big Evs, but he has the speed to cope with the drop back to 5f, so I do expect him to run a reasonable race at big odds.
Botti filly has scope to progress
I ride one of Marco Botti's two runners in the Class 2 Coopers Marquees EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (1.15). MARIE ELLEN ran well on debut at Leicester, finishing a close second behind Ed Dunlop's Lunar Streets, who ran well under a penalty at Carlisle next time.
The step up to 7f should suit her and she proved at Leicester that she handles cut in the ground. Although she's taking on some potentially smart horses in this higher grade, I do think Nick Bradley Racing's daughter of Starspangledbanner has the scope to take the necessary step forward.
Hoping Time on our side
IT JUST TAKES TIME has the credentials to give me a good ride in the Doncaster Groundworks Reinforcements Handicap (4.45). He ran well on Town Moor last summer in a competitive 7f handicap and is adaptable enough to cope with easier conditions in this 6.5f sprint.
A Ripon winner in June, Mark Walford's gelding gets into this off just a 1lb higher mark and looks well enough placed around fancied horses in stall three.
Gallant Nashwa still on the improve
NASHWA proved she is still improving at the age of four by posting a career best in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last weekend. She struggled to go the early pace, which put us on the back foot, but really utilised her turn of foot to hit the line and finish just half a length behind dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin.
John and Thady Gosden's filly holds entries in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes against her own sex and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but we'll have to wait and see where my boss Imad Alsagar decides to go next.
It wasn't BRADSELL's day in the Group One Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, but the writing was on the wall when the heavens opened before racing. It turned the ground loose which just didn't suit him.
He travelled well into the race but just couldn't quicken on that surface. It's also worth pointing out that he had a hard race in the Nunthorpe at York, so his trainer Archie Watson will freshen him up now and bring him back when conditions suit.