Caburn has already delivered a significant win for Jack Jones this summer and now aims to secure another major victory at Doncaster in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes.
The rising Newmarket trainer experienced a career highlight earlier this year when Caburn, a colt by Twilight Son, triumphed in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury. The colt subsequently held his own when stepped up in class for the Gimcrack Stakes last month, finishing fifth despite a challenging draw.
Jones believes Caburn is still improving and is excited about the prospect of competing at Town Moor. “He’s in excellent form and came out of York in great shape,” said Jones. “That race was a career-best for him. We went in rated 94 and came out rated 100, which shows how well he ran, though we were on the less favourable part of the track.”
Jones is confident that Doncaster's track and distance will suit Caburn well, and he’s optimistic about the conditions. “The goal has always been to target this race at Doncaster. The track and trip should be ideal for him, and the ground will be fine. He’s adaptable and has shown he can handle a big field.”
Among the 19 rivals Caburn will face is Aidan O’Brien’s Camille Pissarro, who finished just behind Caburn at York but brings strong group-level form to the table. However, Jones is undaunted by the competition. With nearly £200,000 on offer to the winner, he is eager to emulate past winners like Wootton Bassett, who used this race as a stepping stone to further success.
“The O’Brien horse is the favourite, but we’ve already beaten him,” Jones noted. “We’re hopeful for a good, clean run. With such a substantial prize, we had other options like the Champagne Stakes or Mill Reef, but this opportunity is too significant to pass up. If I can keep my owners happy with big wins, they’ll continue to support me.”
Ed Bethell’s Intrusively, who has shown promise despite a few near misses—including a placing in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood—got off the mark with a stylish win at Nottingham last month and comes into this race with valuable experience.
Bethell commented, “His victory at Nottingham was important, considering his performances at Goodwood. We’re looking forward to this race and hope he runs well. The draw in three could be advantageous or challenging, but we’ll find out on the day.”
Charlie Appleby’s Hallasan also arrives at the back of a win at Colwick Park, while King Of Bears might benefit from a drop in class after running too freely in Group company at Goodwood. Oliver Cole, who trains King Of Bears with his father Paul, said, “He was unlucky in the Richmond; he pulled too hard and finished three lengths behind. If he had had the cover, he would have been right in the mix. He’s a very good horse and still relatively unexposed.”