By Tom Frary
Roger Varian's new link-up with Godolphin is paying instant dividends with the promising Avicenna (Starspangledbanner) getting up late to capture Friday's Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.
Held up early by William Buick, the 11-2 shot who had won over course and distance on debut last month delivered a sustained effort down the wing to collar the 5-4 favourite Hankelow (Night Of Thunder) on the line.
“He's a lovely horse and I'm very grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and the Godolphin team for supporting me with a few horses this year,” Varian said. “He's learning on the job and is strong through the line, so he's a horse to look forward to.”
“He's always looked a nice horse because he's a very good moving horse, it's just taken a while to furnish into his frame,” he added. “I think he will probably be a miler, I don't know if he's good enough for a Guineas because he's won a Listed by a nose. We don't need to get carried away just yet. We can look forward with him for sure, but we will see how he develops.”
Photo finish! 📸
AVICENNA gets up in dramatic fashion to deny Hankelow in the Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes!@WilliamBuickX | @varianstable | @DoncasterRaces | @godolphin pic.twitter.com/7li0KN7TPE
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 12, 2025
The dam Love Potion (Galileo), whose yearling full-sister to the winner sells at the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 2, hails from the Juddmonte family of the European champion juvenile Xaar. She also has the unraced three-year-old filly Expecto Patronum (Ten Sovereigns).
Friday, Doncaster, Britain
BETFRED FLYING SCOTSMAN STAKES-Listed, £65,000, Doncaster, 9-12, 2yo, 7f 6yT, 1:25.98, gd.
1–AVICENNA (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Love Potion (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Potion (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Motion (GB), by Zafonic
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (450,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Mrs Sue Ann Foley; T-Roger Varian; J-William Buick. £36,862. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $60,136.
2–Hankelow (Ire), 128, c, 2, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Sagaciously (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (210,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE; 750,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-George Kent; T-Karl Burke. £13,975.
3–Sir Albert (Ire), 128, c, 2, No Nay Never–Al Joza (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€165,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY). O-Mrs A Althani; B-The Imperium Syndicate; T-Andrew Balding. £6,994.
Margins: NO, HF, 1. Odds: 5.50, 1.25, 18.00.
Also Ran: Sunset On Leros (GB), Frescobaldi (Ire), Do Or Do Not (Ire), Do Bronxs (Ire), Electrical (GB). Scratched: Catullus (Ire), Northern Champion (Ire).
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