Platinum chasing Childers gold for Middleham Park

Nunthorpe second back in juvenile company at Doncaster.

Richard Fahey’s Nunthorpe runner-up The Platinum Queen drops back into her own age group to contest the Wainwright Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster on Friday.

The two-year-old filly so nearly rewarded the bold decision of her connections to supplement her for the York race when she beat all bar Highfield Princess in the Group One.

She is in Group Two company on Town Moor – without the huge age allowances this time – but connections believe if she can reproduce her York form, then she will be difficult to beat.

“There was no shame whatsoever in being beaten by what is probably the best sprinter in Europe at the moment,” said Tom Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing.

“We put our money where our mouth was, we rolled the dice, it was sporting of the owners to give it a go and we very nearly came up with two sixes – we probably came up with 11.

“It confirmed what we thought about her, she’s an asset going into these high quality races.

“The forecast is changing all the time, given she’s so fast we wouldn’t want heavy ground, so as long as we don’t get biblical rain she’ll run.

“You can see her winging away on the front end and hopefully she’ll never be headed. It looks a nice race with some classy horses, like Trillium who we shouldn’t forget broke the Goodwood track record in the Molecomb, albeit it only stood for an hour and a half (before The Platinum Queen broke it).

“There’s not much between them when you look at the various figures and we wouldn’t want much rain, so we’ll just keep a close eye on it. If she can replicate her Nunthorpe run she should be a tough nut to crack, but that’s not to say she’s a certainty.”

The light blue Middleham Park silks may also be carried by the Keith Dalgleish-trained Prince Of Pillo, unbeaten in two races but he may be a less certain runner depending on the weather.

“Prince Of Pillo was impressive at Ripon over five, we’d brought him back from running over six at Ayr on debut as he’d been showing so much speed,” said Middleham’s Mike Prince.

“He won nicely at Ripon but we’re not quite sure if we run or not, we just want to see how much rain falls as there is the Harry Roseberry for him at Ayr next week. The problem we have is there is rain forecast up there too.

“We’ll see if any rain materialises or if the field cuts up. He’s unbeaten, showed plenty of speed at Ripon and while The Platinum Queen sets the standard, he deserves to take his chance.”

Crispy Cat (far side) in action at Sandown earlier this season
Crispy Cat (far side) in action at Sandown earlier this season (John Walton/PA)

Crispy Cat is trained in Ireland by Michael O’Callaghan but will be having his fourth British start here.

He has been acquitting himself well in Group Two company already and has the assistance of Ryan Moore.

“Obviously, we all have the Nunthorpe runner-up The Platinum Queen to beat, but if she underperforms then maybe we are best placed to take advantage, though impressive Molecomb winner Trillium may have something to say about that,” Moore told Betfair.

“He has run to a consistently good level since winning on his debut and possibly ran up to his best in the Richmond Stakes last time, and I don’t see the step back down to five troubling him at all. In fact, his best run was arguably his third in that controversial Norfolk Stakes over this trip.”

O’Callaghan also runs Harry Time while Jessica Harrington fields a third Irish-trained runner in Funny Money Honey.

Desert Order put prior experience to good use at York
Desert Order put prior experience to good use at York (PA)

The Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes sees Charlie Appleby’s Convivial Maiden winner Desert Order take on Sir Michael Stoute’s Nostrum.

Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “Desert Order hasn’t done much wrong so far and brings experience into this race. We felt that this was the right time to test him at Listed level ahead of the backend of his two-year-old season.”

Moore keeps the ride on Nostrum having partnered him to his debut success at Sandown.

“This race has obviously cut up a lot but there are still some decent sorts in opposition, among them the Convivial winner Desert Order,” said Moore.

“But we think our colt is up to this Listed level, and hopefully higher, after he was very professional in winning by three lengths on his debut at Sandown.

“That form looks good – in fact, the third came out and beat Desert Order next time – and of course we expect him to put up a bold show. He’s a good colt.”

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