Can Charyn bring his Group 1 form to the table in this cracking Flat curtain-raiser?

Doncaster is one of Roger Varian's happier hunting grounds and he may have sprinkled some Group 1 quality in this Listed mile contest that opens the Flat turf season in Britain.

Varian has a 23 per cent strike-rate at the track in his career and backing those runners would have yielded a profit of £20.50 to a £1 level stake. The Doncaster Mile is also a race he has a strong record in, having saddled three winners in the last decade.

He relies on Charyn, who off a mark of 113 is the highest-rated runner in the line-up. The four-year-old went winless during his Classic campaign last year, but twice made the frame in Group 1 company.

Charyn will be ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, who has a strong 24 per cent strike-rate when teaming up with Varian, and was also a soft ground Group 2 winner as a juvenile. He could be the class act.

Charyn's main rival is the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Knight, who finished one and a quarter lengths in front of him when second in the Celebration Mile last August. That Goodwood effort came on soft ground and Knight produced a career-best Racing Post Rating of 114.

The four-year-old, who wears a first-time visor, was a heavy-ground Group 3 winner as a juvenile and the Crisfords have made a fine start to the year in Britain, operating at a 23 per cent strike-rate.

Honourable mentions go to last year's winner Astral Beau, 18lb higher this time but should relish the testing conditions, and the Karl Burke-trained Holloway Boy.

The latter has talent, given he won the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his debut and was third in the 2022 Futurity Trophy over course and distance behind Auguste Rodin, but has his quirks too.

He hung badly right in the Futurity and did the same last time in the Jersey Stakes, and has since been gelded. His trainer, though, is in red-hot form at a 33 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight.

Charyn out to set up Lockinge tilt

Roger Varian hopes Charyn can emerge as a live Lockinge Stakes prospect as the trainer bids to enhance his fine record in the Doncaster Mile.

Varian has struck in the race three times in the last ten years with Sharja Bridge (2019), Zabeel Prince (2018) and Belardo (2016). The latter went on to Lockinge success following his Town Moor win and the trainer hopes he has another Newbury candidate in a similar mould with Charyn.

The four-year-old did not score in seven starts last year, but finished third in both the St James's Palace and Sussex Stakes behind Paddington. He also ran a fine race behind that star performer when fourth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Charyn (left): could join stablemate Sakheer in the 2,000 Guineas

Charyn (left): has strong form from last yearCredit: John Grossick

Charyn makes his comeback from a 210-day absence, with the recently-returned Silvestre de Sousa on board for the first time, and Varian hopes he has found the perfect springboard to potential loftier targets.

He said: "We're very happy with him and he seems to have wintered well. He's been ticking along nicely and has a nice starting point in this. We'd have preferred slightly better ground, but we're happy with his condition.

"I hope he can develop into a Lockinge contender. If you take his runs in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes from last year, they're strong bits of top-level form."

Varian added: "He went through his three-year-old campaign without winning but ran some very good races against strong horses. Hopefully, this can be a nice start for him."

What they say

William Stone, trainer of Dashing Roger
I hope he'll be okay as he's terribly ground dependent. We hope it's not drying out too much and in an ideal world we'd like it heavy, but he can do something on soft ground too.

Karl Burke, trainer of Holloway Boy
He’s done plenty of work but he’s not fully wound up. But there’s hardly anything else for him so we’re running him. Fingers crossed he’ll run well, but I’m not full of confidence.

Simon Crisford, joint-trainer of Knight
He's had a straightforward preparation through the winter and this looks like a good spot to start his season off. He won on heavy as a two-year-old when he won the Horris Hill at Newbury, so the testing ground should be no problem for him.

Pam Sly, trainer of Astral Beau
She seems fine in herself, but I've had an awful job in getting her fit and that's my main worry. We couldn't use the all-weather gallops at home because we've been intermittently waterlogged for about three months. It's been a nightmare, but she won this last year and likes the ground and while I do think she's fit enough, I wouldn't call it that she's spot on. She's also returning as a five-year-old mare and you never know if they are going to train on. We're hoping for the best.

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