Sweet William turned the tables on last year’s winner Trueshan to finally get his moment in the spotlight in the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden and owned by Philippa Cooper, the five-year-old has always run with credit in the top staying events, but has regularly had to settle for minor honours.
Third to Kyprios at Ascot in the Gold Cup, before chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s star of the division in the Goodwood equivalent, he was sent off the 7-4 favourite to go one better on Town Moor.
Although slowly away in the hands of his regular pilot Robert Havlin, he was never far away from the action as Trueshan shaded a narrow advantage up top from Sweet William’s stablemate Gregory.
It was Trueshan who led them into the straight and with Gregory coming under pressure, the eye was drawn to Sweet William edging into contention.
Sent on by Havlin with a furlong and a half to run, he showed a striking turn of foot to surge clear of Trueshan – who despite rallying and gaining ground on the idling Sweet William in the closing stages, still finished a length adrift of Clarehaven’s fourth winner of the Doncaster staying showpiece in second.
Havlin said: “I kicked on early enough, but he was travelling so well I just thought ‘I’m just going to go for it and see what happens’.
“We’ve been mucking about with him doing different things at home, letting him lead and stuff.
“We had a visor on him with these tiny slits and we’ve just made the slits a little bigger so he can see a little bit more. You just have to change things around and keep him interested.
“He seems to be getting better, but you mustn’t forget he had seven screws inserted in his leg when he was younger and you never know how that will affect them, mentally that can take its toll and with him there’s always a little seed in there that might say ‘not today, son’.
“He’s never been out of the first three in his whole life. You could say he might have finished closer in some races, even in this last year he ducked a bit to his left.
“I thought he quickened really well at the two today, nothing was going to take me any further. I love riding him, he’s a character and he deserved to win a race like this.”
Aesterius gets the better of Big Mojo in tight Flying Childers finish
Aesterius turned the tables on his old rival Big Mojo to claim top honours in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
Big Mojo was bidding to provide trainer Mick Appleby and owners Paul and Rachael Teasdale with back-to-back victories in the Group Two contest, following the success of the popular Big Evs 12 months ago, and battled his way to the front inside the last of five furlongs.
However, the Archie Watson-trained Aesterius (7-2), who had been pipped by Big Mojo in Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes before landing a Group Three in France less than a fortnight ago, was produced with a late run by James Doyle in the Wathnan Racing silks and finished best to win the day by a neck.
Aesterius gets back to winning ways at Doncaster
Irish raider Magnum Force, the 11-4 favourite at the off following a luckless outing in the Roses Stakes at York last month, was best of the rest in third.
Doyle said: “He hasn’t done a lot wrong, I just felt I did a couple of things wrong in the Molecomb – I perhaps rode him too conservatively.
“When we went to France I was keen to make use of his speed and again today, I spoke to Archie beforehand and he said ‘let him get out and do his thing’.
“We raced pretty much by ourselves most of the way and he did have a look at the crowd when I put him under pressure, so that can only be a good sign.”
Watson has big plans for his young colt, with the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp and a trip to the Breeders’ Cup under consideration.
He said: “James said he’s still very babyish and he came off the bridle early enough today. He’s still looking at things beside him as he’s running down the track.
“He’s a very talented horse. He won the Prix d’Arenberg last time out and just 12 days later he has backed it up, which is the same double we did with Soldier’s Call (in 2018). He’s a very talented two-year-old and we’re very lucky to train him.
“I think next year is the time to explore six furlongs. The Breeders’ Cup will be his end-of-season target – it should really suit him. The question mark is do we have a crack at the Prix de l’Abbaye in the meantime? He’ll get 18lb off his elders and Soldier’s Call was only just beaten by Mabs Cross after winning this, so that will be discussed.
“It’s obviously going to be a trickier year next year for him so I often think it’s worth running them at two if you’re happy with them. He’ll either have two more runs this year or one.”
Mick Appleby still intends to head to the Breeders’ Cup with Big Mojo, saying: “He’s run well. The ground has probably just gone a little softer than he’d like, but he’s run well.
“He maybe just hit the front a bit too soon, he maybe just needs holding on to a bit longer as when he hits the front he thinks he’s done enough.
“It was another great run, we’re happy with that and the plan is to still head for the Breeders’ Cup.”
Benevento bounds to Flying Scotsman victory
Benevento finished with gusto to provide fledgling trainer Raphael Freire with the biggest winner of his career to date in the Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.
A field of seven juveniles went to post for this Listed contest, with much of the pre-race focus on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Jonquil, who had created a big impression when overcoming interference to make a successful debut at Sandown a fortnight ago.
However, supporters of the 7-4 favourite will have been concerned from an early stage, with Ryan Moore was one of the first at work and in the end he trailed home a disappointing last but one.
Benevento, who made a winning start at Yarmouth before finishing second to Soldier’s Heart in the Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy, was a 7-1 shot to provide Lambourn-based Brazilian Freire with his fourth and most notable winner of the season in the Amo Racing silks.
After taking a lead off Mr Chaplin for much of the seven-furlong contest, the Wootton Bassett colt was sent in pursuit of Symbol Of Honour entering the final furlong and eventually wore him down, with half a length the winning margin.
“I’m delighted. I expected him to take a big step forward from Ripon,” said Freire.
“They are so unexposed these horses, you never know what you are really up against, but I certainly expected him to run a good race.”
He added: “It looked like he needed to step up in trip when he finished second last time and I expected Doncaster to suit him better than Ripon as there are less undulations. It’s a nice, flat track which enabled him to travel easy and finish his race.
“I just thought last time the winner looked quite good, it was fast ground and he was never close enough to challenge, today he could travel handy and finish strong.
“I don’t know if he’ll run again, we’ll all discuss it. I think he’ll get a mile, but whether he needs to this season, I’m not so sure.”