Sunday's Meetings Doncaster Flat 8 Races 1:20-5:18p.m. CUrragh Flat 8 Races 1:30-5:35p.m. Bath Flat 7 Races 2:00-5:28p.m. Musselburgh Flat 7 Races 2:15-5:43p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The first day of the Ballydoyle Benefit started well enough with a 1/2 shot beating three rivals trained by sons of O’Brien but it was not January chasing home Fallen Angel an hour and a half later; however, Delacroix did not fluff his lines in the big one. Three of the seven in the Moyglare Stud Stakes come from Ballydoyle with only Venetian Sun to possibly spoil the party. Only one in the Flying Five against better fancied rivals, three of the six in the National Stakes against three good rivals; and two of the nine in the Irish St Leger with unbeaten Amiloc the main threat. What used to be the first day of the St Leger meeting moved to Sunday. With one of the handicaps split, the eight race card features six handicaps, a veteran jockeys gimmick race and a pattern race. As I write there are 19 non runners at Doncaster because of the ground now being Good to Soft (Soft in places). The Group 3 Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes (4.10) still has all 19 listed at the time of writing, chasing some black type in hope more than expectation in many cases. It looks quite easy to eliminate a number of the outsiders from win calculations. Havana Pusey is out of her depth here (ninth in the Oak Tree her only previous run in pattern company). Queen’s Reign has been beaten in three Listed races in 2025. Stop The Cavalry was sixth in the Oak Tree last year, has been beaten in two Listed races this year and has not run since 1st July. Bermuda Longtail has been in the last five home in her last three races at Group 3/Listed level and has only won over seven on the kitty litter. Miss Nightfall is a handicapper whose only win was over six furlongs last term. Circe won her maiden over course and distance two years ago but has only contested handicaps since and looks out of her depth. Of those that ran in the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown, it is hard to make a case for Betty Clover (last), Fair Point (tenth) and Hey Boo (ninth) simply because today is a furlong shorter. Sixth home Spiritual had won an Epsom Group 3 in June but was last in the Prix Rothschild and her only win over seven was her racecourse debut. In fifth was favourite Bright Thunder, who has never won over seven, finishing third in the Oak Tree on her only previous attempt. Sunfall won a seven furlong Listed race at Ascot last year when trained by William Haggas but was third last in June on her only start for David O’Meara in an Epsom race won by Spiritual with Bright Thunder second, Chic Colombine fifth and Bermuda Longtail seventh. Chic Colombine has not been seen since and has never won above Listed level. The Haggas yard is represented by Lou Lou’s Gift, winner of a handicap last time but well beaten at Group 3/Listed level on her other two 2025 starts. Arolla has contested handicaps and Listed races but was sixth last in the Kensington Palace and last in a Haydock Listed race on her last two starts but give underhoof will help her chances of a place. Fair Angellica was fourth in this race last year but has only troubled the judge once in seven 2025 starts and that was winning a Salisbury Listed race over six furlongs. Third last year was Queen Of Mougins, Timeform’s top rated today. She has changed yards and has won a six furlong handicap for new trainer Adrian Murray on her only start. After finishing third in this last year she was second to Sunfall in a Listed race and fourth in a Chantilly Listed race at this trip. Jabaara won a couple of Listed races and the Oak Tree last term but her best piece of form was second in the Falmouth Stakes that would give her a good chance today; however, she was only fifth in the Oak Tree this year and has only won a Musselburgh Listed race. So I prefer to look at the runner that missed last term but had excellent form as a juvenile: SHUWARI. She beat Fallen Angel in a seven furlong Listed race in 2023 and ended up chasing home Ylang Ylang in the Fillies’Mile (See The Fire third). She has progressed with each start this year being third in a Listed race on her penultimate start (Queen’s Reign and Arolla behind) and won a Longchamp Listed race last time over a mile. With only seven starts to her name, she looks worth chancing today to progress again.
Only Group 3 action over in Paris today with three pattern races on a Longchamp card that features four handicaps, a claimer and a conditions race for older horses (with a short-priced favourite for David Smaga). The opening Prix du Petit Couvert (12.58 BST) is over the Prix de l’Abbaye distance and is usually used as a warm up for that by the French. The only overseas raider is Archie Watson’s Spartan Arrow in a first time visor but the race looks one to avoid as Francis Henri Graffard’s three year old Rayevka (only seventh in the Prix Maurice de Gheest but third in the Commonwealth Cup) is a short-priced favourite with the British layers for a horse that has never run over five furlongs. The Prix du Pin (2.50) also looks like one to avoid despite the presence of two British raiders. Karl Burke’s Poet Master has only run once in 2025 when last in the Gladness Stakes back in March so probably needs the run to start an autumn campaign. He was fifth in last year’s Prix de la Forêt over course and distance (with today’s rival Exxtra fourth). Charlie Hills’ Divine Libra looks up against it as many of the local runners look to be better than him. The favourite with the British bookies is another Francis Henri Graffard runner, Roshvar, winner of conditions races at Dieppe and Clairefontaine on his last two starts but now not running at the seaside! That leaves a fascinating contest in between for the Prix du Prince d’Orange (1.33). Only seven line up for the ten furlong contest and it seems quite easy to eliminate the three outsiders. Karl Burke’s Bolster won a Newmarket Listed race at this trip last year but has failed to trouble the judge in three starts this year including in a Goodwood handicap last time. Stephane Wattel’s Daring Prince has not been seen since finishing second in a twelve furlong Listed race here in May and was last in the Prix d’Harcourt. Jean Claude Rouget’s Dumonet won a Listed race at Bordeaux le Bouscat in May but was well beaten in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville. Uthred won a Listed race over this trip on heavy ground at Compeigne in July and will have to progress significantly to challenge the front three in the market. The unbeaten Nahraan makes the journey over from the Gosden yard, ironically a journey that may not be much longer than his last race when he won the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton. He only beat Arabian Force in a photo that day and that one was subsequently third in the Great Voltigeur. He now drops back to ten furlongs. Daryz is a course and distance winner and won the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint Cloud on his penultimate start (Dumonet fourth). However, he was dreadful when pitched into the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York, finishing last with the disappointing Japanese runner that day ahead of him. The Japanese runner today is Croix Du Nord, winner of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), second in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and winner of four of his five career starts. He is currently a 14/1 shot for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He surely will not fluff his lines en route to the big race, although it is curious that they chose not to run him in the Prix Niel last week over the Arc distance.
Precise landed the Moyglare with Composing and Venetian Sun both a bit disappointing. She had beaten Moon Target in the Prestige at Goodwood the time before and that makes Moon Target's woeful run in the May Hill look even more mystifying. In the Flying Five my Nunthorpe selection Arizona Blaze left one of the worst runs of his life behind when winning well. He had the race sewn up from a good way out and, having run 16 lbs below form at York, came right back to his best without carrying the curse of my selection this time. A very fickle and frustrating game this horse racing is.
Everyone seems to underestimate Zavateri. How could he be 4th favourite in a field of 6 with his record? He now goes for the Dewhurst which I hope is run on good ground. He handled yielding just about. His trainer says he needs further but is keeping him to 7f instead of going for the Racing Post which invarably is run on soft to heavy ground. How far could he get? Well 8f will be no problem. But he could he easily get 10f as his dam's side of his pedigree is replete with stamina. The other question is how good is Gstaad?
