'This is my dream' - Sweet William lands Howard Wright Doncaster Cup for overjoyed owner-breeder

How fitting for a race named after Howard Wright to go to a hugely talented performer who generally shuns the limelight yet is better than ever at an age when others might have had enough.

Wright, the long-serving Racing Post news and then industry editor who was working almost up to the time of his death at 79 last month, usually let his words do the talking.

Similarly, Sweet William is none too flashy a stayer but he is ultra-consistent, has not finished outside the first three in 14 races and appears to be peaking at five.

Having run fine races behind Kyprios in the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup this summer, he took full advantage of the Irish St Leger-bound champion stayer's absence to take the Betfred Howard Wright Doncaster Cup.

He was sent on over two furlongs out by Robert Havlin, who has been on board for each of those 14 runs, and though he hung left and idled in front he held on by a length from last year's winner Trueshan.

From left: Howard Wright's daughter Andrea Wright, groom Anneli Drew, Robert Havlin, Karen Wright (Wright's daughter), Philippa Cooper and Anne Wright (Wright's widow)Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"This means so much," said delighted owner-breeder Philippa Cooper. "It's just the most fantastic race. It's ten years older than the St Leger and it means the world to me. It's a staying race and he's got a bit of speed at the end, which was wonderful. This is my dream.

"It's an honour to win the race as Howard was somebody I knew. He was a great man and a gentleman. I know he liked his stayers and he would have loved this."

Havlin was delighted that a relatively unsung hero should get a place in the spotlight.

"I love riding him in the morning," he said. "He's a character and I like trying to work him out. It's good when these days come off.

"We've been mucking about with different things and he seems to be really enjoying it at the minute. He had a visor on and we made the slits slightly bigger so he could see a little bit — just changing things and keeping him interested. 

Robert Havlin: "He never lets you down but it's nice when he asserts himself like that. He's deserved a big one"Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"He never lets you down but it's nice when he asserts himself like that. He's deserved a big one. He's been in the first three in some top races."

Havlin had not been afraid to go for home early on a stayer he knows well and said: "I thought 'I'm just going to go for it, let him go and see what happens.'

"The pace lifted five or six furlongs out, which suited me. Nothing was going to take me any further so off we went. He quickened really well.

"Remember he had a really bad injury, he ended up with seven screws in his leg. Mentally that can take its toll and it's probably taken a while for him to get his confidence back."

The Cup itself was presented by Wright's widow Anne, who said: "We've had a brilliant day. Betfred and Doncaster have done him proud, naming the race after him – Howard would have loved it."

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