Regal camp up for the Cup

Neil Callan has backed Royal And Regal to return to his best in the National Express Doncaster Cup on Friday.

The rider struck up a good partnership with Michael Jarvis’ charge earlier in the season, winning the John Porter at Newbury before just being touched off in the Yorkshire Cup.

The partnership then finished third in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown.

Royal And Regal failed to sparkle when returning from a near-three-month absence under Frankie Dettori at Deauville last time, but Callan believes he can atone for that 10-length reverse on Town Moor.

“He had a long break before his last run but while I did the last piece of work on him before that race and he felt fine, I always thought he may just be better for the outing,” said the jockey.

“With the way these French races are run, you have to be spot-on for the day - and he obviously wasn’t.

“He seems really fresh and well in himself at the moment and I wouldn’t pay too much attention to his last run as he is obviously much better than that.”