Everything rosy for Oxx filly at Doncaster

Roses For The Lady may not quite have rediscovered the form of last year so far in 2010, but a bold bid looks assured in the DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster today.

The four-year-old only won once last season but she ran the race of her life to finish second to Sariska in the Irish Oaks on bottomless ground at the Curragh. After what was a gruelling contest, John Oxx sensibly gave his filly the rest of the year off and she looked set for a big season when impressing on her reappearance in Listed company at Navan back in April.

It is a little disappointing she has been unable to add to that victory since, but she was far from disgraced in finishing third behind Tactic and Profound Beauty in the Curragh Cup. Some cut in the ground on Town Moor is likely and with stamina and ground doubts about possible favourite Meeznah, Roses For The Lady looks a viable alternative.

Richard Fahey has made no secret of his admiration for three-time winner Wootton Bassett and he can boost his earnings in the Weatherbys Insurance 300,000 2-Y-O Stakes. The Iffraaj colt has bagged over 150,000 in prize money this season. He beat a very solid yardstick comfortably at York in a similar sales race last time and it will take a special horse to beat him here.

Nathaniel looks the proverbial steering job in the opening maiden. John Gosden's colt gave the highly-touted Frankel a race on his debut and came out of it with plenty of credit. There will surely be some long faces at Clarehaven if he is turned over. Michael Jarvis' Kings Destiny will be one horse suited by easier conditions underfoot and is worth chancing in the DFS Handicap, while Honeymead is in the last-chance saloon in the EBF Carrie Red Fillies' Nursery.

At Doncaster yesterday, Charlie Swan was crowned king of the legends after making all the running on Miami Gator to win the Fudge And Smudge Leger Legends Classified Stakes.

The likes of Pat Eddery, John Francome, John Reid, Steve Smith-Eccles, Tony Dobbin and Kevin Darley were all involved with the biggest legend of them all, Lester Piggott, presenting the prizes. Swan, 42, retired seven years ago after a highly successful career as a National Hunt jockey in Ireland where he was crowned champion on no less than ten occasions. Famously known for his partnership with triple-champion hurdler Istabraq, Swan scored on Miami Gator (9-2), trained by Elaine Burke, beating Legal Legacy and Dale Gibson by a length and three-quarters.

Graham Bradley finished third on Aflaam.