Trueshan and Hollie Doyle lit up Doncaster as he returned to his best to record a notable success in the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes.
Trueshan lit up Doncaster as he returned to his best to record a notable success in the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes.
Retirement looked imminent when the seven-year-old disappointed earlier in the season, but due to wind surgery and a 135-day summer break, Alan King’s side have returned to form at Town Moor.
Victory looked unlikely in the early stages of Group Two action as Trochan refused to settle for Holly Doyle, traveling hard when stuck behind the steady early pace set by Ryan Moore aboard Broome.
Doyle let her lead approaching the turn for home and it proved to be a race-winning move from the rider as the long-distance veteran worked his way up to Head of Affairs.
With the rest of the field sticking to the inside rail, Trueshan sailed solo down the middle of the track, before making his way to battle John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William who broke out of the pack to mount a stiff challenge.
However, Trueshan was not to be denied and stormed across the line to win by a length and a quarter.
Paddy Power and Betfair have now given the 100-30 marksman a 5-1 shot to win the Qipco British Long Distance Champions Cup for the fourth year in a row at Ascot on October 21.
“This definitely wasn’t the first plan! And this isn’t the first time he’s given me a rodeo either, but he can still win because he’s so superior,” Doyle said. “He’s back to his best. And for him to do it this way, he has to be.”
“He could actually settle beautifully if he could use himself but I just needed him in stride. The thing today is we were going at a pedestrian pace and it was breaking up his stride, so when you’re on a big horse like that, it allowed me to bowl him along.” , and it was going to be hit or break.
“He’s the type of horse that when you let him control himself and use himself, he doesn’t go anywhere!
“I walked the track and spoke to the track clerk who told me the best ground is in the middle. Obviously that was a risk because we raced on it yesterday but it went well.”
“The wind has definitely helped. At Ascot earlier this year we broke through and he managed to go a furlong and a half while today he proved he is back to his best.
“I dread to think what Alan was saying on the way, he might have been cursing, but fortunately it all worked out.
“I love him so much. I rode him on his second ride ever, so I’ve been riding him for a while now, and luckily I haven’t been ridiculed yet!”
