Coral Doncaster Cup
Group 2, Doncaster 14:45 £110,000 added, 3yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1
Tweet Sunday 11th September 2022

1 Coltrane 9/1
2 Trueshan 2/9F
3 Lismore 22/1
6 ran NR: Haizoom , Island Brave
Distances: nk, shd, 4¾l Time: 4m 1.03s (slow by 7.33s)

🏆 Great battle - Coltrane holds off the challenge of Trueshan and Lismore to land the Doncaster Cup!

🥇 A Group 2 double on the day for @AndrewBalding2pic.twitter.com/yd1Zh7DPMD

— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) September 11, 2022

A race controlled for much of the way by Frankie Dettori and Lismore, the two-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece turned into something of a sprint and try as Alan King’s long odds-on Trueshan might under Hollie Doyle, he could never quite get on terms.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Lismore refused to buckle, either, but in a pulsating finish it was the Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane and David Probert who had enough to score by a neck from Trueshan.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Lismore refused to buckle, either, but in a pulsating finish it was the Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane and David Probert who had enough to score by a neck from Trueshan, with Lismore a short head away in third.

Balding said: “He’s done us proud. He’s had a long season and the worry is that at some stage he’s going to cry enough but he was so tough there, he’s so game.

“The slow pace wouldn’t have suited him. He’s won over two and a half miles at Ascot and we were a little worried about the ground as he disappointed the last time he ran on very slow ground. He’s a star.

“He’s a course and distance winner so next year’s Ascot Gold Cup would have to be an option, but we’ll just enjoy today.”

Of Trueshan, King said: “I think he was remembering Goodwood (third in Goodwood Cup) as he was frightened to let himself down today, even though the ground is perfect. He’s gone right, he’s gone left and it was only in the last half-furlong that Hollie said he’s actually let himself go.

“I’ve never seen him do that before. I think he was thinking it was going to hurt again. It obviously hurt him at Goodwood, although he seemed fine.

“We had a very hard race at Newcastle (Northumberland Plate) and then we’ve run him on ground that’s quicker than he likes at Goodwood and I think it left its mark.

“I’ve got to speak to the owners, but personally I would say it’s Ascot or nowhere. I’m not going to get him back (for the Prix du Cadran) in two and a half weeks, so we’ll hope we get really soft ground at Ascot, otherwise I might put him away for the winter again.

“It’s been a total mess of a summer for him. We’ve tried to keep him ready to go, we’ve been to Ascot twice and not run, we went to Goodwood and ran him and York was a no brainer (not to run) because the ground was rattling quick, but he still went up there.

“He came up here on Thursday and came back Friday, so it’s not ideal. Coltrane probably did the same to be fair and I’m not knocking him at all.”

He added: “People have criticised me all the way through about not running him, but I think you can see why.”

Doncaster Cup
(British Champions Series) (Group 2)
£110,000 added, 3yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Soft

NO. (DRAW) FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 (6) 221142 Coltrane 5 9-7 Andrew Balding Rob Hornby 9/1
2 (5) 11-113 Trueshan 6 9-7 Alan King Hollie Doyle 2/9F
3 (2) 8214-8 Lismore p 128 5 9-4 Henry De Bromhead Frankie Dettori 22/1
4 (8) 552153 Reshoun 8 9-7 Ian Williams Jim Crowley 33/1
5 (4) 121115 Get Shirty 6 9-7 David O'Meara Daniel Tudhope 11/1
6 (3) 140-01 Stratum 9 9-7 W P Mullins William Buick 18/1
NR 3 (7) Island Brave 8 9-7 Heather Main NON RUNNER
NR 7 (1) Haizoom 4 9-4 Keith Dalgleish NON RUNNER

RECENT WINNERS
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP

2021 Stradivarius
2020 Spanish Mission
2019 Thomas Hobson
2018 Thomas Hobson
2017 Desert Skyline
2016 Sheikhzayedroad D M Simcock Martin Harley Mohammed Jaber 10/3
2015 Pallastaor
2014 Estimate Sir Michael Stoute Ryan Moore The Queen 11/8 fav
2013 Times Up Ed Dunlop Ryan Moore Mrs I Stewart & M Meacock 3/1
2012 Times Up John Dunlop Eddie Ahern Mrs I Stewart & M Meacock 5/1
2011 Saddler’s Rock John Oxx IRE Niall McCullagh Michael O’Flynn 11/2
2010 Samuel John Gosden William Buick Normandie Stud Ltd 5/1
2009 Askar Tau Marcus Tregoning Ryan Moore Nurlan Bizakov 5/2
2008 Honolulu Aidan O’Brien IRE Johnny Murtagh Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor 15/8 fav
2007 Septimus Aidan O'Brien IRE Johnny Murtagh Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor 11/10 fav
2006 Sergeant Cecil Rod Millman Frankie Dettori Terry Cooper Evens fav
2005 Millenary John Dunlop Richard Quinn Neil Jones 11/4
2004 DH Kasthari Howard Johnson Johnny Murtagh Elliott Bros 14/1
DH Millenary John Dunlop Richard Quinn Neil Jones 7/1
2003 Persian Punch David Elsworth Martin Dwyer Jeff Smith 3/1
2002 Boreas Luca Cumani Jamie Spencer Aston House Stud 7/2
2001 Alleluia Sir Mark Prescott Jamie Mackay Sonia Rogers 14/1
2000 Enzeli John Oxx IRE Johnny Murtagh H H Aga Khan 15/2
1999 Far Cry Martin Pipe Kevin Darley Nicky Chambers 6/1