El Caballo won the Sandy Lane last year

Doncaster Saturday preview: What the trainers say

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri March 31, 2023 · 3y ago

Check out what the trainers are saying ahead of Saturday's big-race action at Doncaster.

Pertemps Network EBF Brocklesby Stakes

Valadero has some big boots to fill as he bids to provide prominent owners Amo Racing with back-to-back victories in the Pertemps Network EBF Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

The five-furlong contest for unraced two-year-olds is the traditional curtain-raiser to the British turf Flat season and was won in brilliant style 12 months ago by Persian Force.

The Richard Hannon-trained colt went on to carry the purple and white silks of Kia Joorabchian’s group to big-race success in the Group Two July Stakes before being placed in three successive Group Ones and finishing fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, after which he was retired for stud duties.

Having made three entries earlier in the week, Amo Racing’s representative in this year’s Brocklesby is Starspangledbanner colt Valadero, who cost the team €250,000 as a yearling and is now under the tutelage of Lambourn-based trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis.

While he has plenty to live up to, connections are hopeful of a bold showing on Town Moor.

Amo’s racing and operations manager, Tom Pennington, said: “Persian Force was obviously an incredibly special horse who was verging on Group One standard.

“Valadero is a very nice colt who has been very straightforward to deal with and his work’s been good. We sat down as a team this week, we had the three entries and there’s a long season ahead.

“This horse will go there in A1 condition. I wouldn’t say we’re confident, but he does go there in very good shape.”

Persian Force is not the only high-class recent winner of the Brocklesby, with 2021 scorer Chipotle going on to score at Royal Ascot and 2016 victor The Last Lion striking Group One gold in the Middle Park Stakes before the end of his juvenile campaign.

Pennington added: “There’s 17 other runners on Saturday, all unraced and everyone thinks they’ve got a good one. It’s difficult in this sort of ground as well – which horse will handle it best? Winners of the Brocklesby used to be first half of the season wonders, but now they tend to go all the way through.”

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John Quinn likes what he has seen at home from Ribchester colt Sankari, but fears he is not well placed in stall one.

He said: “He’s a nice sort of horse. I don’t know about the ground, but we’ll find out. I’m not mad about the draw, but there we are. He’s fit and he’s well and we’ll see how we go.”

Tom Dascombe has enjoyed his fair share of juvenile success over the years and is looking forward to saddling Old Chums – a son of Kodiac out of Listed-winning mare Magical Dreamer.

“He’s owned by a wonderful group of friends and I sincerely hope that he’s pretty useful,” said the Lambourn-based trainer. “He has a fantastic attitude, he’s going to give me his best, I’m pretty sure he’ll handle the ground and I’m really looking forward to watching him run.

“His dam handled soft ground, Kodiacs generally handle soft ground and he’s pretty quick – it’s as simple as that. I’m sure there’ll be half a dozen better than him, but we’ve got to start somewhere.”

Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes

Karl Burke is excited to see El Caballo make his first competitive appearance since Royal Ascot last summer in the Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.

Narrowly beaten on his Town Moor debut two years ago, the Havana Gold colt went on to win his next six races, including his first four last season.

A Listed success in Lingfield’s Spring Cup was followed by a lucrative victory on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle, while a successful switch to the turf in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock ensured he a major contender for the Group One Commonwealth Cup.

El Caballo was well beaten on fast ground at the Royal meeting and missed the rest of the campaign, but he is reported to be in rude health ahead of his return in this weekend’s six-furlong Listed event.

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“He’s wintered really well and has been working nicely. We’re hoping for a big run,” said Burke.

“He just got jarred at Ascot, so we had to back off him after his run in the Commonwealth. We’ve given him plenty of time to recover and hopefully he can make up for lost ground this spring.

“It’s going to be pretty heavy and pretty testing. I’m not saying he wants that, but I’d rather there was a bit of juice in the ground than not. He will improve for the run, but we’ve been very happy with the way he’s working.”

Burke has an interesting second string to his bow in the form of Fast Response, who rounded off 2022 with victory in the Wentworth Stakes over the course and distance in heavy ground.

The Fast Company filly will again have conditions to suit, but her trainer believes she may not be at concert pitch at this early stage of the season.

“She loves the heavy ground and obviously won a Listed race at the backend of last season,” the Spigot Lodge handler added.

“She was very progressive at the end of the year and heavy ground is the key to her, but her form improved as the season went on last year.

“I’m not sure she’s a spring filly and like a lot of fillies at this time of year, she looks like she wants a little bit of sunshine, but we’ll let her take her chance."

The Charlie Fellowes-trained Vadream returns to turf action after three successive runs on the all-weather this year.

“She’s a soft ground performer. I’m not convinced she’s really suited to those all-weather races round a bend, but we wanted to get her qualified for Good Friday and that is not out of the question – she could easily run at Doncaster then at Newcastle as well,” said the Newmarket handler.

“She’s got her conditions on Saturday and I thought she was quite overpriced considering a straight six on soft ground is what she loves.

“If she can produce the runs from the back end of last year, especially on Champions Day, I think she will go pretty close.”

Michael Dods saddles dual Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls, and said: “He normally doesn’t race as early in the season, so while he’s well I wouldn’t say he’s come to himself yet.

“But there’s limited opportunities off his present rating and he seems well enough to have a run, so we’ll let him take his chance.”

James Horton is represented by Asjad, who was touched off by a stablemate of Commanche Falls in Dakota Gold on his latest appearance at Doncaster in October.

“He’s earned his place and his right to go and compete in those races. He’s rated 107, so he has to go and run in those races really,” Horton told Sky Sports Racing.

“We know he likes Doncaster, we know he likes soft ground and we know he likes running fresh. He seems fresh and well. He still possibly looks a little bit wintry in his coat, but he’s a five-year-old gelding living in North Yorkshire, so he’s probably not stupid!

“He’s coming nicely into this race and whatever he does on Saturday should bring him forward.”

Andrew Balding’s King’s Lynn, who carries the colours of the King and the Queen Consort, also features in a 12-strong field.

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