September 15 / 15.00 Doncaster

15.00

Soft

Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2) (British Champions Series)

  • Prize money: £73723
  • 2m 1f 197y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
ITV4
View Course
Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes (Group 2) (British Champions Series)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £4.34
  • Place: £1.60

Form: 321-24 BF

Last run: 135 days

W: 9st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Withdrawn (latest instance at Royal Ascot this June) when the going has looked like being firmer than good, with his best turf efforts having been on good to soft or soft; beaten a neck by Coltrane in this race last year, before narrowly turning the tables for a third win in the 2m British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October; some very short-priced defeats have crept in and he lost his unbeaten Ascot record in comprehensive fashion behind Coltrane in May on latest start; had the best form of any of these when at his peak but he's now had wind surgery to try to stop the slide.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

(7)

29th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:05 Goodwood

Trueshan

9st 12lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Alan King

Needs good ground or softer; grand stayer who has been first, third and fourth on his three appearances in the Goodwood Cup; not disgraced on return in France this May and he got seriously involved every time last season after his first run, but he's a 9yo now and it would be rolling back the years to see him top of the pile today.

40/1

2nd

5

(2)

13th Sep 2024

Good

2m 1f 197y

Class 1

15:35 Doncaster

Trueshan

9st 7lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Alan King

Tricky to settle; beaten a neck by Coltrane in this race in 2022 but he went one better against Sweet William in it in 2023; as in those races, he's usually been kept to ground softer than good, but he was allowed to take his chance on good going on last two starts, hammering his rivals in a Listed race at Sandown but finishing just over 4l adrift of Sweet William and Gregory in the Goodwood Cup last time; a staying star of previous campaigns but on this season's evidence he needs a bit extra.

4/1

OUR TIP

7/2

  • Place: £1.60

Form: -21112 C BF

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 7lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Sported headgear from the outset (also ridden by Rab Havlin all starts) but highly progressive; travelled smoothly before dominating the closing stages of useful handicaps at Newbury (2m, good) and Goodwood (1m6f, heavy); his winning sequence ended in the Ebor at York (1m6f, good to firm) but that close second was another fine effort; unraced over this far and four of these rivals have better 2023 form but he could easily have more to give.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

(4)

28th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

18:12 Sandown

Sweet William

9st 9lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: John & Thady Gosden

Won this in 2024 and has added three more Group-race wins, the latest on reappearance in this month's Sagaro Stakes at Ascot (2m, good to firm) where he was clear with subsequent Group 1 winner Caballo De Mar; leading claims despite 5lb penalty.

Evs

1st

2

(9)

1st May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

14:35 Ascot

Sweet William

9st 9lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: John & Thady Gosden

Headgear and Rab Havlin all starts; not straightforward but he nearly always gives his running, including at this track; he did not have the top stayers to worry about last September when winning his second Doncaster Cup and the same seems to apply today, so he's a leading player.

2/1

2

(4)

18th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

12:55 Ascot

Sweet William

9st 9lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: John & Thady Gosden

Headgear and Rab Havlin all starts; not straightforward but he nearly always gives his running and was third and second in the last two runnings of this race; he did not have the top stayers to worry about last month when winning his second Doncaster Cup and while he had the edge over third-placed Trawlerman in this 12 months ago, he's found that rival too tough to crack in their two clashes this season.

5/1

10/1

Form: 513075

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 7lb

7 yo Horse

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Good middle-distance performer for most of his career but won the Dubai Gold Cup over 2m in March; close third in the 1m6f Yorkshire Cup at York in May but well beaten in the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Goodwood Cup the next twice, and was about 8l behind Coltrane at York last time; others preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(2)

21st Oct 2023

Soft

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

13:15 Ascot

Broome

9st 9lb

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: A P O’Brien

midfield, dropped to rear 4f out, never dangerous

40/1

3rd

2

(1)

15th Sep 2023

Soft

2m 1f 197y

Class 1

15:00 Doncaster

Broome

9st 7lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Good middle-distance performer for most of his career but won the Dubai Gold Cup over 2m in March; close third in the 1m6f Yorkshire Cup at York in May but well beaten in the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Goodwood Cup the next twice, and was about 8l behind Coltrane at York last time; others preferred.

10/1

5th

3

(4)

25th Aug 2023

Good To Firm

2m 0f 56y

Class 1

14:25 York

Broome

9st 5lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Good middle-distance performer for most of his career but won the Dubai Gold Cup over 2m in March; close third to Giavellotto in the 1m6f Yorkshire Cup here in May but well beaten since in the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Goodwood Cup, so others are preferred.

8/1

Form: 982953 C

Last run: 34 days

W: 9st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Third in this race in 2020 and sixth in 2021; not quite the force of old and best 2023 efforts were at Royal Ascot, a course at which he has a very good record; another swap of headgear today; needs to get back to summer 2021 form to hold any semblance of a serious chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(1)

6th Nov 2024

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:13 Nottingham

The Grand Visir

9st 12lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Ian Williams

midfield, outpaced over 3f out, kept on but not pace to challenge

14/1

4th

5

(1)

6th Nov 2024

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:13 Nottingham

The Grand Visir

9st 12lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Ian Williams

midfield

14/1

6/4

Form: 2-1231 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
His only run on soft was in 2020 (below form) but he held Trueshan off by a neck in this race last year on good to soft; the positions were reversed at Ascot last October but this 6yo has had much the better season this year with his two Group 1 placings and wins in a Group 3 and Group 2; looks set to go well again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

(3)

12th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 197y

Class 1

15:00 Doncaster

Coltrane

9st 7lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Andrew Balding

Stalwart of the staying scene, including with a win in this race in 2022 and a creditable fourth in 2024; both were on good to soft (beaten nearly 4l by Sweet William last year) and there was a lesser show on soft ground in the 2023 renewal; not quite as good as he was and he was dropped to a Listed race when winning ten weeks ago when last seen; major place contender if the ground isn't soft.

12/1

3

(5)

4th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

16:45 Sandown

Coltrane

9st 2lb

J: William Buick

T: Andrew Balding

Four-time Group winner; well held in the Gold Cup most recently; two attempts over C&D comprise a success in this contest in 2022 and respectable second in Group 3 on penultimate start; solid chance back down in class.

9/2

5th

1

(6)

19th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

16:20 Ascot

Coltrane

9st 4lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Stalwart of the top staying races who was at his best in 2023 but not far off it on two occasions in 2024, in a very mixed campaign; runner-up in two four-runner races this season, with latest start better than the first but he was still no match for Trawlerman; second and fifth in the last two Gold Cups and others will have to underperform if he's to win it.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.40
Straight Forecast £13.04
Trifecta £31.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Coltrane

NEWMARKET:

Sweet William

The Times:

Trueshan

RP RATINGS:

Broome

Telegraph:

Sweet William

Daily Mail:

Sweet William

Daily Record:

Sweet William

TOPSPEED:

Coltrane

POSTDATA:

Coltrane

The Guardian:

Coltrane

Daily Mirror:

Coltrane

The Sun:

Coltrane

The Star:

Coltrane

D Express:

Trueshan