Doncaster Cup odds: Gosden pair look to dethrone Trueshan

John & Thady Gosden have a strong two-pronged attack in the Doncaster Cup with Sweet William and Gregory amongst the contenders seeking to dethrone Alan King's Trueshan.

Hollie Doyle guided Trueshan to glory in the Town Moor contest 12 months ago, with Sweet William behind in second spot, but the now eight-year-old Trueshan has twice been beaten by that rival this season.

Doncaster Cup odds

(Odds will display when market is available).

Sweet William

The first of two major contenders for John & Thady Gosden, last year's runner-up will be partnered as always by Rab Havlin.

Soft ground prevailed 12 months ago as Sweet William and Trueshan had a private battle in the final two-furlongs, with the latter coming out on top after his rival became unbalanced and lugged towards the running rail under pressure.

Sweet William has finished ahead of his old rival in both meetings since, including when winning at Sandown (2m, soft) in May and when second-best behind imperious Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup (2m, good) in July.

Gregory

Though only six runners are set to go to post, this four-year-old son of Golden Horn gives the Gosden team a strong look.

He won his first three career starts, including the 2023 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot over 1m6f, but is 0-6 since, albeit confined exclusively to Group 1 and 2 company.

He is very closely matched with stablemate Sweet William on their Goodwood Cup form, and this typical front-runner was ahead of Point Lonsdale at York last month when third in the Lonsdale Cup. This will be his first attempt at this distance and he finished poorly over 2m4f in the Ascot Gold Cup in June.

Trueshan

Alan King's stable star typically enjoys plenty of cut in the ground, with fast conditions in high summer ultimately denying him a crack at an Ascot Gold Cup on multiple occasions.

He is, though, a good-ground winner over 2m this season at Sandown in Listed company, showing he retains plenty of sparkle as an eight-year-old.

He was not as good in the Goodwood Cup since and has twice finished behind Sweet William this season. He did a lot wrong in this race a year ago but produced a stirring finish to hold off that same rival in second and Hollie Doyle's partner may put up a strong defence of that crown.

Point Lonsdale

Aidan O'Brien's Australia colt looked tailor-made for the Lonsdale Cup at York last month based on his dominant 1m5½f Chester success in May and subsequent French Group 1 third over 1m4f, but his Knavesmire fifth was one of the few disappointments for the Irish trainer at the Ebor Festival.

Gregory finished third in that contest and this five-year-old must rebound now under Ryan Moore if he is to turn the tables and bag success in the Doncaster Cup for the first time since 2008 for his top trainer.

Coltrane

The Andrew Balding-trained inmate won this in 2022 but has been held in similar company since. He won a Group 3 at Ascot (2m, good to soft) in early May, seemingly perked up by the application of first-time cheekpieces, but has since been safely held in the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.

The drop out of Group 1 company is a help now, though he was last of five when sent off favourite as defending champion in this contest 12 months ago in the hands of regular rider Oisin Murphy.

Wise Eagle

Adam Nicol's charge was second behind Coltrane in a Group 3 at Ascot over 2m in May 2023, one of just three dalliances into pattern-race company so far in his career and easily the best of them.

A more than useful handicapper, he's the lowest-rated contender in this line-up and was down the field in York's Ebor last month on his most recent outing.