Caballo De Mar returned to winning form in the Doncaster Cup on September 11, producing a decisive performance in one of the key staying races of the St Leger Festival.
The five year old, trained by George Scott and ridden by Oisin Murphy, moved to the front inside the final furlong and drew clear to defeat Beylerbeyi by one and a quarter lengths. The victory came after more difficult efforts in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the Lonsdale Cup at York.
A strong response at Doncaster
Caballo De Mar entered the Group 2 contest with questions surrounding his recent form, but the Doncaster performance restored the level he had shown earlier in the season. He had already demonstrated high class staying ability in Europe and handled the good to soft conditions at Doncaster effectively.
Queenstown, who had been one of the most significant rivals in the original field, did not take part. Seven horses ultimately contested the race.
What the result means
The Doncaster Cup remains an important late season reference point for the staying division. Caballo De Mar now leaves the St Leger Festival with another major staying prize and a renewed place among the leading long distance horses in Europe.
OTB Bet covered the race before the start in our Doncaster Cup preview. Readers can also follow the wider meeting through our St Leger Festival guide and the permanent St Leger Stakes hub.
Sources
Result details were verified against Sky Sports Racing coverage and current Doncaster results listings from At The Races.
Featured image: Jeff Griffith via Unsplash.
