Doncaster Mile Tips - Ciaron Maher’s winning machine to take out time-honoured Doncaster Mile

Here is our preview of the action

The time honoured Doncaster Mile (1600m) is one of the major highlights on Day One of The Championships at Randwick and has attracted a capacity field of 20 horses vying for the prestigious $4 million prize. 

In a typically open betting race, it is the Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner, Linebacker, that holds slight favouritism. The John O’Shea & Tom Charlton gelding carries the minimum weight of 49kg. 

Three-year-olds have performed well in recent years, with Celestial Legend (2024) and Brutal (2019) winning the event.  Other contenders include Gringotts, Tom Kitten, Another Wil, and Firestorm, while Swiftfalcon has been a mover in the betting markets, but needs to sneak into the field as one of the four emergencies. 

The All-Star Mile (1600m) winner, Tom Kitten, will be out to emulate the feats of two-time winner Mr Brightside, who completed the double in 2023. 

Moira represents a bit of X-factor as an international contender and will be ridden by the star jockey, Zac Purton. Hong Kong’s leading jockey will need to be at his best after the pair were dealt barrier 21. 

We should get a genuine tempo with Royal Patronage and Rise At Dawn expected to lead, while the recent George Ryder Stakes (1500m) winner, Gringotts, won’t be far away. Tom Kitten should land within striking distance, while Another Wil and Moira may end up further back in a bid to find cover early on.

Keen on Gringotts in the Doncaster Mile. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper has an outstanding record of 10 wins from 20 starts as well as eight minor placings. The question mark is to whether or not he can produce under the handicap conditions of the race and bombed out with the 60.5kg in the Group 2 Ingham (1600m), formerly known as the Villiers Stakes, at the end of the spring. But that was when he was deep into his preparation. The five-year-old carries less weight this time around (55.5kg) and comes into this third up. At the same stage of his last preparation he produced a peak performance when going nearly 12 lengths faster than standard benchmark, scooting over from barrier 19 to claim the $3 million Big Dance over the Randwick mile. The son of Per Incanto shouldn't have to work too hard from barrier 6 and his last start win ahead of Fangirl and Ceolwulf reads very well for this.  

I wouldn't mind seeing Rise At Dawn sneak into the field for the Doncaster. The first emergency was a tad disappointing in the All Star Mile when dropping out of it to finish 6th behind Tom Kitten, beaten four lengths. But he should have improvement to come at his third run and the Hayes stable can get their horses to peak at the right time, while he drops 8kg. The top Hong Kong jockey, Karis Teetan, has been booked for the ride and should give the four-year-old a nice time of it from barrier 2. The gelding ran slick time in a series of 1600m runs at Flemington at a similar stage of his last preparation and is definitely one to consider at the price.