Francisco’s Piece has had a couple of mentions in passing this season and whilst he hasn’t hit the frame this season, there’s a case to be made for him back on testing ground. His juvenile form on soft/heavy reads 112234, including a strong second off 97 in a Haydock nursery and now down to 87, having shaped better than bare results suggest at Ayr and York, is worth chancing at a big price now he finally has his conditions.
Benvenuto Cellini has the hype, but Hawk Mountain has the substance, with the form in the bank aHe bolted up in the Beresford Stakes on soft ground and looks the one most likely to relish Doncaster’s testing surface.
Lam Yai brings standout form after a neck second in the Group 3 Firth of Clyde. She’s bred for cut and has Karl Burke’s red-hot juvenile form behind her. Spanish Waltz is the danger, but her form line through Ryefield raises questions.
West Away ticks plenty of boxes for Ian Donoghue, who won this last year. He’s on the same mark as when fourth here previously and gets first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces. Kdeux Saint Fray and Springs A Girl also make appeal longer term, the latter having always having had the physique for chasing and made a perfectly satisfactory debut over the bigger obstacles at Worcester when second to a race-fit Breaking Away.
Pour Les Filles probably has the best form going into the contest, but not by a lot, and what his easy win at 1-9 at Downpatrick was worth is open to question. In any case, it’s not much better than what Soldiers World has achieved so far and bar the one poor effort when the headgear was removed, it's been a tale of steady progression from him and he’s twice the early price of Pour Les Filles here. He stayed on all the way to the line over 2m6f at Listowel and looks ready for three miles now.
Rock My Way has strong course form and still looks fairly handicapped, but pretty much everything from the Tizzard yard appears to be needing their first runs of the year. So the vote goes to Dunboyne, now with Ian Donoghue, who has turned a corner and arrives fit after a strong spring campaign. Ballycamus also appeals for exotics after a solid Chepstow second.
Electric Mason looks to have a good chance. A very useful novice last year that twice bumped into The New Lion last year, running respectably on both occasions, he starts this season off on a very workable mark of 128, and will relish a step up to three miles, being from the family of Grand National winner Ballabriggs. The Chris Gordon yard have made a good start to the autumn, two winners in the last few days, and their horses here yesterday all performed with credit.
The unexposed Ma Shantou hasn’t been missed. Third to Yellow Car at Doncaster, the pair ran again in the Albert Barlett, Yellow Car finishing a good fourth (arguably a little unlucky) and Ma Shantou holding every chance at the last before weakening out of it late. Emma Lavelle’s been having winners for fun lately and Ma Shantou’s mark of 129 looks more than workable.
Preview posted 0935 BST on 25/10/25
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