After becoming the first female rider to win a Group 1 at Royal Ascot, Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle rounds off a memorable week with four more Saturday rides.
CHESHAM TEST LOOKS IDEAL FOR LEO
It’s already been a good week for my boss Archie Watson who can go out on a high with a couple of good chances on the final day of Royal Ascot, including LIGHTNING LEO in the Listed Chesham Stakes (2.30) on Saturday.
He was so professional on debut over 7f at Yarmouth, digging deep for Hector Crouch to get the better of Sayedaty Sadaty in a ding-dong battle to the line, with the re-opposing Quatre Bras a close third.
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This lovely Night Of Thunder colt, who will now run in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing in part ownership with Lone Star Investments, showed that day that a stiffer 7f will play to his strengths at Ascot.
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There’s little between him and the other two colts on that Yarmouth form and all are open to improvement but I’m hoping Leo has progressed enough to come out on top in that battle once again. If that’s the case he might not be too far away.
LAWRENCE HAS BACK CLASS TO OUT-RUN BIG ODDS
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Despite his big odds, Archie Watson’s new recruit SAINT LAWRENCE has what it takes to make his presence felt in the Wokingham Handicap (5.00), a big-field cavalry charge over 6f.
This will be the five-year-old’s debut for Archie after being switched from Roger Varian’s Newmarket stable and I’m hoping the change of scenery will have freshened him up.
This gelding won a Listed race for Roger and was second to Rohaan in the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial over course and distance just over two years ago, so his back class is there for all to see.
Archie does well with this type of horse who has the blinkers back on and may benefit from being drawn close to market leaders Orazio and Khanjar on relatively fresh ground near the stands rail.
Royal Ascot – a week like no other!
Watch every race from Royal Ascot all live on Sky Sports Racing from Tuesday June 20 to Saturday June 24
CUBAN COULD PROVE WELL TREATED IN GOLDEN GATES
It’s a privilege to be riding for the great Jim Bolger in the Golden Gates Stakes (5.35) on Saturday on the unexposed CUBAN DAWN.
It’s the first time in a handicap for this son of Teofilo who shaped as though he is crying out for further when second in two 1m maidens in Ireland.
The extra quarter-mile should bring his stamina into play and I’m hoping our wider draw won’t prevent us from being in the right place on the turn for home. Off an opening mark of 91 he could just be well treated.
FLYING THE FLAG FOR QATAR IN JERSEY STAKES
I ride for Qatar-based trainer Mohammed Bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah in the Jersey Stakes (3.05) on Saturday on the recently purchased EMPTY METAPHOR.
He bought this James Garfield colt for 70,000gns at Tattersalls in May on the strength of his maiden win in Ireland for previous trainer Claire O’Connell.
This Group 3 is far removed from a Limerick maiden but he was doing all his best work in the closing stages over that 7f so the same trip at Ascot should be ideal. He’ll encounter much quicker conditions than the soft ground he won on back in April, however.
Image: Bradsell and Highfield Princess come together in the closing stages of the King's Stand Stakes
BRILLIANT BRADSELL MY ASCOT HIGHLIGHT
Becoming the first female jockey to win a Group 1 at Royal Ascot is an achievement I’m really proud of, but the credit for BRADSELL’S brilliant win in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday must go to his trainer Archie Watson.
It was a fantastic training performance, getting the colt back from a long-term injury and dropping him back in distance against the older horses.
It was sporting of Bradsell’s owners Victorious Racing to supplement him for the race and thankfully they were rewarded with a performance that could set him up for a leading role in races like the Flying Five in Ireland and the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
Image: King Charles III and Queen Camilla congratulate William Haggas and Tom Marquand
SO HAPPY TO SEE TOM SCORE ICONIC SUCCESS
I’m so happy for my husband and weighing room colleague Tom Marquand who achieved one of the most important victories of his career on the King and Queen’s Desert Icon on Thursday.
He gave William Haggas’s three-year-old a brilliant ride to force him home in a driving finish to the King George V Stakes. It meant the world to Tom to ride a Royal Ascot winner in the King’s colours just a few weeks after his coronation and he’ll cherish the memory forever.
Another highlight for me was seeing Frankie Dettori win the Gold Cup on Courage Mon Ami for the Gosdens. This was his Royal Ascot swansong, of course, so what a fitting way to bow out in the most famous race of the week.
I’d like to think it may have been a different story had the rain arrived for my mount Trueshan but it wasn’t to be and he’ll be back to take his chance in top staying races as soon as he gets the ease in the ground that he thrives upon.
Sourse: skysports.com
