15:00 Doncaster 11 Sep 2026
Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup Stakes
Group 2 | Class 1 | 3YO plus
Winner £93,572 - 7 ran
midfield, headway to dispute lead 3f out, ridden to lead outright 2f out, went clear entering final furlong, reduced lead towards finish but always doing enough
went to post early, took keen hold, dwelt in rear, ridden and in touch 2f out, headway to chase winner inside final furlong, nearest finish
took keen hold, prominent, disputed lead 3f out, ridden and headed 2f out, outpaced entering final furlong, soon lost second
held up in midfield, ridden over 2f out, went fourth entering final furlong, kept on same pace
wore hood to post, took keen hold, held up in midfield, ridden over 2f out, soon briefly chased leaders, no impression final furlong
wore hood to post, led, ridden and headed 3f out, weakened 2f out
upset in preliminaries, wore hood to post, in touch with leaders, ridden over 3f out, lost position 2f out, weakened over 1f out
Betting returns
| Type | Winnings |
|---|---|
| CSF | £5.27 (1, 4) |
| Tricast | £15.84 (1, 4, 2) |
| Win | £1.84 (1) |
| Place | £1.30 (1), £2.20 (4) |
| Swinger | £1.90 (1, 2), £1.50 (1, 4), £3.10 (2, 4) |
| Exacta | £5.40 (1, 4) |
| Trifecta | £17.90 (1, 4, 2) |
Expert Analysis
This was a weak renewal of this Group 2, with only two of the seven runners having a rating higher than 102 prior to it. In the end, the cream rose to the top in terms of ratings as the 115-rated Caballo De Mar got back to winning ways.
CABALLO DE MAR enjoyed a relatively comfortable success, seeing this out much better than he did his last two starts. He travelled powerfully in midfield and made smooth headway early in the home straight. He hit the front two furlongs out and kept finding to hold the patiently ridden Beylerbeyi by just over a length, with a gap back to the third.
BEYLERBEYI was held up as is usually the case, and a little keen at the rear of the field. Pulled wide early in the straight, he made ground stylishly and went in pursuit of the winner two furlongs out. The winner just got first run on him from his position and that advantage proved hard to overturn for Beylerbeyi. This was a lovely prep for his Cesarewitch defence next month though.
ASCENDING settled in second and travelled as well as anything but just wasn’t able to find as much as both Caballo De Mar and Beylerbeyi. It was still a career best though from Henry De Bromhead’s stayer, in what his first run at this level.
EPIC POET found himself outpaced as the tempo lifted in the straight and even though he stayed on past beaten horses, he never threatened.
PEACE BELLE travelled well and moved into contention on the outside of the eventual winner as the race developed but faded in the final two furlongs.
BERKSHIRE SUNDANCE led the field in the early stages but came under pressure soon after turning for home and was left behind inside the three-furlong pole.
WINDAY got very worked up in the preliminaries and ran no sort of race, beaten a long way out.
Video Highlights
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Replay: 15:00 Doncaster 11th Sep 2026 -
Post-Race Reaction: 11th Sep 2026 -
Post-Race Reaction: 11th Sep 2026 -
Post-Race Reaction: 11th Sep 2026
Previous winners
| Year | Going | Ran | Winner | Draw | Age | Weight | OR | Form | Last run | Trainer (Distance) | Jockey | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Good to Soft | 8 | Sweet William | 5 | 6 | 9 7 | - | 12-3432 | 21 days | J & T Gosden (128 miles) | Robert Havlin | 10/ 11 | 3:52.24 |
| 2024 | Good to Soft | 6 | Sweet William | 1 | 5 | 9 7 | - | 23-3132 | 45 days | J & T Gosden (128 miles) | Robert Havlin | 7/ 4 | 3:54.17 |
| 2023 | Soft | 5 | Trueshan | 3 | 7 | 9 7 | - | 1321-24 | 135 days | A King (176 miles) | Hollie Doyle | 10/ 3 | 4:05.61 |
| 2022 | Good to Soft | 6 | Coltrane | 6 | 5 | 9 7 | - | 221142 | 23 days | A M Balding (179 miles) | David Probert | 9/ 1 | 4:01.30 |
| 2021 | Good to Firm | 6 | Stradivarius | 5 | 7 | 9 8 | - | 270-141 | 21 days | J & T Gosden (128 miles) | Frankie Dettori | 4/ 11 | 3:53.02 |
| 2020 | Good | 7 | Spanish Mission | 2 | 4 | 9 5 | - | 31-6261 | 22 days | A M Balding (179 miles) | William Buick | 6/ 4 | 3:55.84 |
| 2019 | Good to Firm | 5 | Stradivarius | 4 | 5 | 9 10 | - | 11-1111 | 21 days | J & T Gosden (128 miles) | Frankie Dettori | 1/ 9 | 3:59.28 |
| 2018 | Good to Soft | 8 | Thomas Hobson | 6 | 8 | 9 5 | - | 2726-65 | 20 days | W P Mullins | Ryan Moore | 2/ 1 | 3:53.17 |
| 2017 | Good to Soft | 9 | Desert Skyline | 6 | 3 | 8 5 | - | 236232 | 26 days | D R C Elsworth (128 miles) | Silvestre De Sousa | 2/ 1 | 3:51.88 |
| 2016 | Good | 8 | Sheikhzayedroad | 4 | 7 | 9 3 | - | 33-1833 | 43 days | D M Simcock (128 miles) | Martin Harley | 10/ 3 | 3:52.97 |
| 2015 | Good | 11 | Pallasator | 1 | 6 | 9 3 | - | 713-844 | 27 days | Sir Mark Prescott (128 miles) | Andrea Atzeni | 9/ 2 | 3:49.60 |
| 2014 | Good to Soft | 12 | Estimate | 10 | 5 | 9 0 | - | 117-D82 | 21 days | Sir Michael Stoute (128 miles) | Ryan Moore | 11/ 8 | 3:55.91 |
| 2013 | Good to Soft | 7 | Times Up | 4 | 7 | 9 3 | - | 711-603 | 21 days | E A L Dunlop (128 miles) | Ryan Moore | 3/ 1 | 3:59.09 |
| 2012 | Good | 10 | Times Up | 4 | 6 | 9 1 | - | 15-4471 | 20 days | J Dunlop (221 miles) | E Ahern | 5/ 1 | 3:58.11 |
| 2011 | Good | 7 | Saddler's Rock | 2 | 3 | 8 1 | - | 75113 | 20 days | J M Oxx | Niall McCullagh | 11/ 2 | 3:49.83 |
| 2010 | Good | 10 | Samuel | 6 | 6 | 9 1 | - | 9312-42 | 23 days | J & T Gosden (128 miles) | William Buick | 5/ 1 | 3:52.99 |
| 2009 | Good to Firm | 5 | Askar Tau | 3 | 4 | 9 4 | - | 1114-81 | 23 days | M P Tregoning (212 miles) | Ryan Moore | 5/ 2 | 3:02.64 |
| 2008 | Soft | 9 | Honolulu | 1 | 4 | 9 1 | - | 338-416 | 43 days | A P O'Brien | Johnny Murtagh | 15/ 8 | 4:03.40 |
| 2007 | Good to Firm | 8 | Septimus | 8 | 4 | 9 4 | - | 710-121 | 24 days | A P O'Brien | Johnny Murtagh | 11/ 10 | 3:48.41 |
| 2006 | Good | 8 | Sergeant Cecil | 4 | 7 | 9 4 | - | 425241 | 17 days | B R Millman (242 miles) | Frankie Dettori | 3:58.37 |
