Trueshan heads field of eight in Coral Doncaster Cup

Champion stayer Trueshan has just his fourth racecourse opportunity in a frustratingly dry year when he is a stand-out on form in a field of eight for Friday’s Coral Doncaster Cup, which is part of the Long Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

A winner of the last two QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cups on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot, in addition to a Goodwood Cup and a Prix Du Cadran, the six-year-old’s racecourse appearances have been severely restricted owing to his need for some ease in the ground and he has been taken out after the declarations stage on no fewer than seven occasions, including in the last two Gold Cups, the last two Lonsdale Cups, and in last year’s Doncaster Cup.

To avoid fast ground in midsummer, Alan King switched Trueshan to Newcastle’s Tapeta surface, where he put up a stunning performance off a mark of 120 in the Northumberland Plate, but while Doncaster has so far missed the worst of the heavy rain that has hit many parts of the country in recent days, the going is not expected to be a problem. Doncaster’s four-day Cazoo St Leger meeting begins on going described as ‘Good, Good to Soft in Places’, with showers forecast.

King said: “All is fine for Doncaster, and luckily Trueshan has not been too difficult to keep simmering while we wait for the right opportunity. With some other horses it would have been fairly difficult, but touch wood he has always been one that can simmer away for a while.”

“I do think it’s important that we get a run into him this week ahead of his big targets in the autumn, of which there are just the two options – the Cadran and the Long Distance Cup.”

He would not be drawn on the apparent simplicity of Trueshan’s task, in a race in which he has upwards of 11lb in hand on official ratings, but he added: “I do think it’s important that we get a run into him this week ahead of his big targets in the autumn, of which there are just the two options – the Cadran and the Long Distance Cup.”

Can Coltrane Match his Royal Performance?

Coltrane has made great strides this year, winning the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot and a Listed race at Sandown, the latter by 10 lengths. He ran another good race when fourth in the Goodwood Cup, around three lengths behind Trueshan, and is the clear second best here on official ratings.

Andrew Balding is realistic about the prospects of beating the favourite, but he is prepared to excuse last month’s remote Lonsdale Cup second to Quickthorn, where Coltrane held the more conservatively ridden Reshoun by just a short head, and he has been delighted with the progress the five-year-old has made since returning from nearly a year off the track.

Balding, who has entered Coltrane for next month’s QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup but is not yet looking that far ahead, said: “He’s got a bit to find, but he wasn’t seen to best advantage in a funny race at York last time, where he had to go and chase the winner earlier than we would have liked. The slightly bigger field is a plus, and the longer trip should help too. If he runs his race he’s a good prospect for the first three.”

Explaining why Coltrane ran only once more at three after impressing in York’s Melrose Handicap, he added: “He had an injury and it just took a bit of time to get his confidence back, but he’s been really good since and has had a great year. We always hoped he’d develop into this sort of horse when he won the Melrose, and he’s really found his feet now.

“The only worry is that he’s had a long season. He’s been on the go all year and when you get to this stage of the season it can be a bit of a concern, but if he’s still in form he might go to Longchamp for the Cadran.”

Get Shirty has been improving all year and his close fifth behind Trawlerman in the SkyBet Ebor when seeking a fifth handicap win of the season can be marked up, as he came from much further back than the principals after being dropped in at the back of the field from stall 24.

The ex-French five-year-old, who is no longer in the Melbourne Cup, has delighted trainer David O’Meara, who said: “I’ve been very pleased with him all year. He’d done absolutely nothing wrong and had won four out of five going to the Ebor, where I think he performed well despite being drawn wide and being held up off a slow pace.

“He’s in good order and I’m looking forward to running him at Doncaster. He goes in most ground, but we are going right up in trip so I guess I would prefer it not too testing if possible.”

Henry De Bromhead sends last year’s easy Henry II Stakes winner Lismore, who is one of two challengers from Ireland. The five-year-old, who will be ridden once again by Jamie Spencer, has run only twice since then and finished soundly beaten both times, but the racing world will be wishing her well.

Willie Mullins, who enjoyed a one-two here in 2018 with Thomas Hobson and Max Dynamite, is also represented. He saddles Stratum, who is well into the veteran stage now but added a chase win last winter to his many successes on the Flat and over hurdles and showed he is no back number at Royal Ascot in June when winning his second Queen Alexandra Stakes at the main expense of Reshoun.

The field is completed by Island Brave, who makes a quick reappearance for Heather Main after winning Saturday’s Old Burrough Cup at Haydock, and the Keith Dalgleish-trained handicapper Haizoom, who was a winner at Hamilton in May.