Aidan O’Brien targets 10 at Doncaster

O’Brien, who has won the final Group One of the season in Britain nine times already, would draw level with Sir Henry Cecil as the most successful trainer in the history of the race, should he claim the prize once again.

Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia won the last two renewals for Ballydoyle and both went on to win the 2000 Guineas the following season.

Among O’Brien’s range of options this year are Coventry Stakes winner Arizona, Beresford Stakes hero Innisfree and surprise Royal Lodge victor Royal Dornoch.

Wichita, supplemented for the Dewhurst Stakes this weekend, also remains engaged.

Charlie Appleby has a couple of interesting possibles in the shape of Volkan Star and Al Suhail, while John Gosden has left in Cape Palace and Tsar, an impressive winner at Newcastle this week.

Kameko, just touched off in the Solario and the Royal Lodge for Andrew Balding, could run, with Brian Meehan’s debut winner Cepheus and Roger Varian’s Molatham others still in the mix.

Today’s meeting at Ayr was called off following an inspection on Wednesday morning.

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson concluded the track would not be fit for action due to the recent spell of wet weather.

He tweeted: “Unfortunately racing has been abandoned on Thursday 10th October (due to) heavy ground with more rain forecast and no sign of improvement.”

Unbeaten fillies Cayenne Pepper and Quadrilateral are among nine runners declared for the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday.

Having won her first two starts at Leopardstown and Tipperary respectively, the Jessica Harrington-trained Cayenne Pepper completed her hat-trick with a Group Three success in the Flame Of Tara Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh in late August.

She tests the water at Group One level on the Rowley Mile –and bids to provide her trainer with another top-level juvenile success this season following the recent triumphs of Millisle in the Cheveley Park Stakes and Albigna in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Rebecca Menzies was delighted she delayed Maid In Manhattan’s hurdling debut to take advantage of another good opportunity on the Flat at Nottingham.

The five-year-old mare struck over the mile and three-quarters a week ago and followed up with a short-head success from Methag under 3lb claimer Harrison Shaw in the TBA Supporting British Breeders Fillies’ Handicap.

“She did it well here last week and the plan was to go to Market Rasen over hurdles next weekend,” said Menzies of her 11-8 favourite.

“This race was closing and I just tracked the entries. I saw there was going to be a small field and her preferred conditions, so we thought we’d give it a chance for the good prize-money again.

“She has just improved and improved. Nothing has really gone right for her today and she’s still managed just to win.

“There is another race here at the end of the month over the same trip, but hurdling is at the back of everyone’s mind.

“She schools very well at home so there is no reason why not. She’s been an absolute star for us.”

Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin once again grabbed the headlines on day two of Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale in Newmarket.

The Dubai-based operation beat off Coolmore to secure the most expensive yearling colt sold anywhere in the world on Tuesday – going to 3.6m guineas (£3.78m) for a Dubawi half-brother to St James’s Palace Stakes winner Barney Roy.

And the two powerhouse owners did battle again 24 hours on for Lot 288 – a son of Frankel and a half-brother to the brilliant Golden Horn – with Sheikh Mohammed emerging winner for a cool 3.1m guineas (3.26m).