Venus and Crusader run in Park Hill Stakes Venus De Milo will attempt to return to winning ways in the DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday. Aidan O'Brien's filly was second in the Irish Oaks last year but ran way below her best last time out in the Yorkshire Oaks behind stablemate Tapestry. The four-year-old will be tackling 14 furlongs for only the second time as she steps up in trip on Town Moor. Tony Martin's Dark Crusader also struggled at York on her latest outing and returns to Yorkshire in hope of better fortune. James Fanshawe's Seal Of Approval heads the home challenge. The five-year-old ran suffered an unfortunate fall in last year's renewal, giving Hayley Turner a nasty injury in the process, but the horse suffered no lasting effects as she went on to claim Group One glory at Ascot on Champions Day. She was a fast-finishing third in the Geoffrey Freer last time out and will appreciate stepping back up in distance. There is a strong three-year-old contingent, headed by the William Haggas-trained Arabian Comet and John Gosden's Criteria. Hughie Morrison's Cascading, the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Groovejet, Ralph Beckett's Melrose Abbey and Ed Dunlop's representative Island Remede are others to represent the Classic generation. Moment In Time, Energia Fox, Debdebdeb, Silk Sari and Sohar complete the field.
