Sweet for William backers in Doncaster Cup repeat

Redoubtable stayer Sweet William enjoyed a deserved return to winning ways with a successful defence of the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup.

Although winless since landing this Group Two prize 12 months ago, John and Thady Gosden’s charge has run several excellent races in defeat this season, enjoying podium finishes in the Yorkshire Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup, as well as coming home fourth in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

With esteemed stablemate Trawlerman not in attendance, Sweet William appeared to have an excellent chance of getting his head back in front on his return to Town Moor and he was priced up accordingly as the 10-11 favourite under his regular pilot Robert Havlin.

It was not entirely plain sailing for odds-on backers, with the market leader slightly hampered coming out of the starting stalls. He was shuffled back to the rear of the field early on and Havlin had to coax his partner along to get him back on an even keel.

However, after creeping closer in the back straight the six-year-old had moved into the slipstream of Pendragon by the time he passed the three-furlong marker and from that point the result was never really in doubt, with Sweet William asserting his dominance with a near four-length verdict.

“It’s great to win with him and I’ve already been instructed that is it for the season, see you all again same place next year,” said Gosden.

“I’ve been on the phone to Phillipa (Cooper, owner) and we’ve had a chat and quite correctly she wants to go out on a high and we’ll build up to the Doncaster Cup next year via a few interesting races – the usual ones.

“If the ground has gone then those back-end races are a real slog in the mud and this was lovely ground for him here today. It’s lovely to go out on a high.

“They are great these Cup horses and people enjoy them. We’ve had Stradivarius, now this horse and Trawlerman and they are exciting for the crowds as a lot of our Flat horses disappear too quickly.”

Sir Mark Prescott’s three-year-old Pendragon showed he was still improving with another big effort in second.

“I thought he ran a wonderful race, I was very proud of him,” said Prescott.

“It’s a shame Sweet William’s as good as he is, but I thought it was a great staying performance by a three-year-old and he got a lovely ride. He was always in the right place so I’ve got no excuse have I!

“He probably won’t run again this year, he might possibly go to Saudi for that race in February.

“He’s a firm ground man really and then he come back and have a summer campaign.”