DONCASTER FRIDAY
NOT for the first time this season a three-year-old made a handsome weight allowance count as David Elsworth’s Desert Skyline came with a sweeping run to land yesterday’s Group 2 Doncaster Cup. Heavily backed down to 2/1 favourite, the Tamayuz gelding came from last to first to beat the Rich Ricci-owned Thomas Hobson by a length and a half with Sheikhzayedroad third and Clever Cookie fourth.
Pallasator won this race a couple of years ago but is thoroughly intractable these days and dropped Rosie Jessop at the stalls. Keen in the race, he moved up to lead rounding the final turn but could not keep up the gallop as last year’s winner Sheikhzayedroad moved up on the outer with Thomas Hobson travelling best between horses.
Sheikhzayedroad is not as good as before and veered across Thomas Hobson to the far rails but Desert Skyline, making relentless progress for Silvestre de Sousa, avoided any trouble and passed everything down the outside to win in clear-cut style. Ryan Moore on Thomas Hobson made his views plain to Martin Harley but there is no doubt the winner would have won anyway.
Desert Skyline was probably the only progressive horse in a modest Group 2 field. Fully effective in cheekpieces, he improved to make the frame in the Goodwood Cup and a Deauville Group 2. His jockey exuded maximum confidence yesterday and with good reason.
“David told me to ride him as I found him,” de Sousa said. “He didn’t jump too well but had only a low weight and I always thought I had enough in hand. I was following Ryan through and then made room for myself on the outside. He’s still young and could make up into an Ascot Gold Cup horse one day.”
Several failed to get into the argument but the only real disappointment on recent form was Andrew Balding’s Montaly. However, his victories in the Chester Cup and Lonsdale Cup mean he owes his connections nothing.
One or two firms offered the winner at 10/1 for the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day but there were serious enquiries and 7/1 (some 8s) prevailed later on.