by Tom O'Ryan
Tamburlaine, trained by Richard Hannon and the mount of Richard Hughes, can scupper Aidan O'Brien's bid at Doncaster tomorrow to win the £175,000 Racing Post Trophy for the third time in four years.
The final Group 1 race of the season in Britain has 10 runners, and although O'Brien trains three of them, including Mick Kinane's mount Freud, Tamburlaine is napped to triumph.
Narrowly beaten on his first two outings, Tamburlaine fulfilled the promise he showed at Newbury when giving the much-heralded Nayef a fright by romping home by a long-looking six lengths in a Newmarket maiden race on his most recent start.
That impressive performance underlined Tamburlaine's relentless galloping technique and also confirmed his stamina to see out tomorrow's distance of a mile.
With Hughes riding out of his skin, Tamburlaine will lack nothing in skilled assistance from the saddle.
Freud, Kinane's choice of O'Brien's runners, is a half-brother to Giant's Causeway and finished a creditable fifth to Toubougg in last Saturday's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
That, though, was his first outing since July and there is obviously a strong chance that tomorrow's race will come a little too quickly for him after those exertions following a lengthy absence.
O'Brien will also be represented by Bonnard and Darwin, but it is Dilshaan, representing the Sir Michael Stoute-Johnny Murtagh combination, who makes more appeal.
This son of Darshaan found only Attache too good on his public debut at Sandown last month and looks a colt of considerable potential.
He will, however, need to be more than useful to topple Tamburlaine.
Mick Easterby's Fazzani, runner-up at York and Ayr on her last two starts, is fancied to win the 'Jock Murray Memorial' Nursery.
Down To The Woods can provide Kevin Darley, who rode a treble at Newcastle yesterday, with victory in the Constant Security Doncaster Stakes.
Trained by Mark Johnston, Down To The Woods scored over this course and distance last month.
Norcroft Joy, back to a more suitable distance, is worthy of serious consideration in the Tote/Racing Post 'Ten To Follow' Handicap.
At Newbury make a note of Ikbal in the European Breeders' Fund Maiden Stakes. Marcus Tregoning's Indian Ridge colt has a tall home reputation and is thought to be a two-year-old of exceptional potential.
Prince Pyramus, narrowly beaten at York two weeks ago, can gain compensation for County Durham trainer Chris Grant in the Capel Cure Nursery Handicap.
Tomorrow's tips
Doncaster
2.10 Fazzani, 2.40 Mantles Pride, 3.10 Down To The Woods, 3.45 Tamburlaine (Nap), 4.15 Norcroft Joy, 4.45 Ho Leng, 5.15 Dancing Mystery.
Newbury
1.30 Dance On, 2.00 Prince Pyramus, 2.30 Wellbeing, 3.00 Glorious Quest, 3.30 Ikbal, 4.05 Luxor, 4.35 Komistar, 5.00 Mubtaker.
KEMPTON
(Televised races)
2.55 Tremallt, 4.30 Optimistic Thinker.
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