Paul Mulrennan column: Doncaster Saturday rides and more

stages the final Group 1 of the British Flat season, with the William Hill Futurity Trophy taking centre-stage on Saturday’s eight-race card. The Futurity has gone the way of the market leader in each of the last three years, Aidan O’Brien winning this four times since 2017, including with Auguste Rodin in 2022. 

This year’s renewal is ultra-competitive, so finding the winner isn’t an easy task. Delacroix, a game winner of Newmarket’s Autumn Stakes, represents Aidan O’Brien, while Wimbledon Hawkeye and Royal Playwright meet again a few weeks on from the Royal Lodge. James Owen’s runner has improved with each start, and his sire Kameko won this on the AW at Newcastle in 2019. Andrew Balding, trainer of Kameko, has taken the same trusted route to Doncaster with Royal Playwright, via the Superlative Stakes (third), and the Royal Lodge (second). 

Detain and Anno Domini are both unbeaten, possessing obvious potential. Detain, a half-brother to last year’s St Leger runner-up Arrest, has been impressive in winning a pair of novice contests on the Kempton Park Polytrack. Meanwhile, Anno Domini, a 525,000 guineas breeze-up pick, should have the attributes to cope with soft ground, as a half-brother to the French Guineas runner-up Kathmandu. He is returning from a four-month absence, though, with all his other rivals having been in action over the past 28 days. 

I’ll opt to side with Jessica Harrington’s Beresford Stakes winner Hotazhell, who has a good constitution. The William Hill Futurity Trophy will be his sixth run of the campaign, and he appears to have improved for stepping up to a mile, having been outspeeded by Henri Matisse over seven furlongs in the Irish Futurity at the Curragh. He should appreciate the ground conditions, so could represent value around the 13/2 mark. 

Jim Goldiehas said thathis wonderful servant Euchen Glen (3.15pm) is set to retire at the end of the season, so I’m hoping he could still enjoy one last hurrah. Big Alan, as he’s fondly known at home, ran his usual solid race when fourth to Bolster at York recently and renews acquaintances from there with both Stressfree (second) and Have Secret (fifth). He’s likely to head for the November Handicap next in a couple of weeks before a well-earned retirement. 

I’ve said previously that Eve’s Boy (3.50pm) is a horse that I like. He has a lovely pedigree, will stay further, and should make up into an even better 3yo. Five weeks on from winning nicely at Ayr, we switch to nurseries from an opening mark of 84. This is the first time that he has encountered proper soft ground – this will be a different test to Carlisle – so we’ll see how he handles the conditions. 

Rhythm Master (4.25pm) finished fifth of 16 in York’s Autumn Handicap last time, probably finding his stamina a bit overstretched on the testing ground. He has won over a mile previously, but I think that dropping back to seven furlongs in these conditions should suit. Geoff Harker’s charge has also dropped a couple of pounds since York. 

Abduction (5.00pm) bumped into one (Rousing Encore) at Ayr last time, and we were left frustrated, going so close to winning. He took a little while to rediscover his form this season but has now been placed in three of his last five starts. He lacks much in the way of Doncaster experience, but the ground is fine, and his mark is okay. 

We’re still learning about Spun To Gold (5.30pm), who joined Jim (Goldie) over the summer for £36,000. He’s lightly raced, winning a seven-furlong Chelmsford maiden for Andrew Balding around this time last year. 

Northern jumps racing lost one of its most ardent supporters earlier this week, with trainer Rebecca Menzies taking to social media to post her heartfelt tribute to landlord John Wade, who passed away suddenly at the age of 80. 

John was a lovely man who pumped a lot of time, effort, and finances into racing across the North. He used to have a few horses with Mick Easterby back in the day, so I got to know him there.  

Believe it or not, I rode John’s first ever Flat winner, Domino Dancer, on Northumberland Plate Day at Newcastle in 2007. I was chuffed with that result, getting the better of none other than Jamie Spencer aboard the favourite Cleaver. Rest in Peace John.