Hollie Doyle fancies her chances on Electrolyte in the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday, live at Royal Ascot on Sky Sports Racing. In her latest blog, she also discusses Kylian, Facteur Cheval and Rosallion
Image: Hollie Doyle's Royal Ascot blog
Our ambassador has four rides on the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Racing, and reveals her thoughts on the Queen Anne Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Excited by Electrolyte in Coventry Stakes
Electrolyte has been very professional from the minute he arrived at Archie Watson’s Lambourn yard from the breeze-ups and can show the racing world what a promising colt he is on the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
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He looks an exciting ride in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes (3.05) on Tuesday – a race I was lucky enough to win back in 2020 on Archie’s subsequent King’s Stand hero Bradsell.
Image: Hollie Doyle tasted success aboard Bradsell in 2020
This Hello Youmzain colt, who was knocked down to Wathnan Racing for £220,000 at Doncaster breeze-ups, has a lovely mind and wasted no time in making a winning debut at Ayr less than two weeks later.
It was the same maiden that Archie’s Army Ethos won before going on to finish second for me in last season’s Coventry and this horse compares favourably. We’re drawn high in stall 18 but have the fancied Andesite and Al Qudra around us, so could be well placed.
A smart two-year-old, he had his first run for us in the Listed Westow Stakes at York’s Dante Festival and ran well after a long lay-off. We weren’t expecting to run against a horse of the calibre of Big Evs that day but he showed blistering speed – much more than we expected, to be honest.
He’s a big horse who has tightened up for the run and we’ve been pleased with his work at home. He’s drawn very high in 16 but we’re right in between fancied runners Regional and Asfoora who should give us a nice tow into the race.
It’s a big ask at the weights but I’m expecting Kylian to out-run his massive odds.
Hoping Intinso can give me second copper horse
The Copper Horse Handicap (6.15) is another race I have on my CV. I won it for my boss Imad Alsagar on Amtiyaz in 2021 and am hoping for a repeat in the dark green silks on his half-brother Intinso.
Well drawn in stall 2, he sports a tongue-tie for the first time which I think will help him find that little bit extra required to win a competitive race like this.
He’s got good form on this track, finishing third in last season’s Shergar Cup Classic, and will enjoy the longer trip. Well placed in stall two, I’m really hoping he steps up to the occasion as we’ve always thought he has a big one in him.
Outside chance in Ascot Stakes
Alastair Ralph’s five-year-old Nathanial Greene is among the outsiders in the longest race of the day, the two-mile and four furlongs Ascot Stakes (5.05). It’s a big ask as he hasn’t run since pulling up over hurdles at Ludlow back in November.
Formerly with William Haggas, he ran well in defeat in staying handicaps at Haydock for my husband Tom (Marquand) and Goodwood last summer but whether he has the stamina to see out the Gold Cup trip remains to be seen.
Sourse: skysports.com
