Friday racing preview: What the trainers say

3.00 Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes

Alan King, Trueshan: “We’ve got to get him started, he’s been off a long time. We gave him a break after Ascot and he’s ready to start back. I think whatever he does he’s going to come on plenty for it, but I just felt with the rain coming it was worth getting a run into him. It’s his first run for a while and his first run since a wind op and sometimes they just need a couple of runs to give them their confidence back. I’m happy with him at home and I just want to see him run well.”

Andrew Balding, Coltrane: “Coltrane is a real yard favourite and he has had a great season already. He won the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, he was then second in the Ascot Gold Cup, he ran very well at Goodwood and obviously won the Lonsdale Cup at York last time out. The great thing about him is he seems to be effective on any ground and in any sort of style of race, which is a big help for these stayers. He obviously won the race last year, but he does carry a penalty this year which makes life a lot tougher. If Trueshan is anywhere near his best he will be a very tough opponent and Sweet William is an improving horse as well. It is not a straightforward task, but the horse is really well and he seems to thrive on his racing.”

Robert Havlin, Sweet William: “Sweet William is probably my best horse this year as he’s won three times and never been out of the first two. We think there’s more improvement to come and we think he might make up into an Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup type of horse next year. Since we put blinkers on he’s been ultra consistent. It was obviously another great run in the Ebor, but I was gutted when Frankie (Dettori, on Absurde) got back up after I’d headed him. He’s won over two miles and the Ebor was obviously a drop back in trip. He gets the trip well so there are a lot of positives, especially after all the rain. He doesn’t need soft ground, but he handles it very well.”

2.25 - Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes

Kevin Philippart De Foy, Inquisitively: “The horse won well at York and I think the course will suit him. It’s a very flat, straight course and very straightforward. The ground would be a question mark, he won on fast ground at York and so there is a question mark over soft conditions. I am hoping it doesn’t rain any more at Doncaster before the race or it will suit other horses more than Inquisitively. He has been in good form since his race at York, I think he took a step forward from that race. He’s very straightforward and professional, I don’t think anything will be an issue other than the question over the ground.”

Mick Appleby, Big Evs: “He seems in good order at the moment, the only concern really is the ground. If it went really soft we wouldn’t run, but we’re hoping it dries up to good ground. We’d run on good to soft, obviously he won on soft ground at Goodwood but it wasn’t ideal. Other than that he is in very good order and he should run a big race, he’s going there with a very good chance.”

Karl Burke, Kylian: “I’m just not sure he likes York, he’s been there twice and disappointed twice. We took him there on his debut and thought he was a certainty and he got beaten. Maybe the confirmation of the ground just doesn’t suit him there, it’s a sandy base, and I’m not sure six furlongs is his bag either at this stage of his career, so the drop back to five will suit. I know he got beaten on very soft ground at Goodwood, but I think it was the draw as much as the ground that beat him there, so I’m not that worried about the ground. He’s in great form and hopefully he can put up a good performance.”

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