Multiple Group One winner Trueshan had put in two tame efforts so far this season but bounced right back with victory in the Doncaster Cup; Coltrane was disappointing, whilst Ebor second Sweet William challenged late but couldn't get past Trueshan in the final two furlongs
Friday 15 September 2023 16:44, UK
Trueshan and Hollie Doyle lit up Doncaster as he returned to his best to register a remarkable success in the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes.
Trueshan lit up Doncaster as he returned to his best to register a remarkable success in the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes.
Retirement appeared to be looming when the seven-year-old disappointed earlier in the season, but given a wind operation and a 135-day summer break, Alan King's charge roared back to form on Town Moor.
Victory looked unlikely in the early stages of the Group Two contest as Trueshan refused to settle for Hollie Doyle, travelling keenly when held up behind the steady early pace set by Ryan Moore aboard Broome.
Doyle allowed her mount to stride on approaching the turn for home and it proved to be a race-winning move from the rider as the long-distance veteran powered his way to the head of affairs.
With the rest of the field remaining glued to the inside rail, Trueshan set sail solo up the centre of the track, before edging his way across to battle John and Thady Gosden's Sweet William who had emerged from the pack to lay down a stern challenge.
Trueshan, however, would not be denied and he stormed to the line to win by a length and a quarter.
Paddy Power and Betfair now make the 100-30 scorer a 5-1 shot to win the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup for a fourth straight year at Ascot on October 21.
Doyle said: "That was definitely not Plan A! It's not the first time he's given me a rodeo either, but he can still win because he's so superior. He's back to his best. To do it that way round he must be.
"He actually can settle beautifully if he can use himself but I just needed him on a stride. The thing today was we were going a pedestrian pace and it was breaking his stride, so when you are on a big horse like that I just let him bowl along and it was going to be make or break.
"He's the kind of horse that when you let him have that bit of rein and use himself, he then doesn't go anywhere!
"I had walked the track and spoken to the clerk of the course who told me that the better ground was up the middle. Obviously that was a risk because we raced on it yesterday but it worked out OK.
"The wind op has definitely helped. At Ascot earlier this year, we hacked around and he curled up a furlong and a half out whereas today he proved he's back to his best.
"I dread to think what Alan was saying on the way round, he was probably cursing, but thankfully it all worked out.
"I love him to bits. I rode him on his second-ever run so I've been on him a while now, thankfully I haven't been jocked off yet!"
