Tag Archive for: Hollie Doyle

Tadej looks like being sent to Coventry in winning at York

Tadej threw his hat in the ring for Royal Ascot with victory in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing EBF Restricted Novice Stakes at York.

Trained by Archie Watson – who won this race with Bradsell prior to his Coventry Stakes success in 2022 – the Ardad colt was making his third career start.

His two runs prior had hinted at more to come, and under Hollie Doyle he started the evens favourite to get off the mark over six furlongs.

Drawing on the experience of his past runs he duly delivered, securing a neat neck victory from Ed Walker’s Do Or Not Do and thus enter the Coventry market at 25-1 with Paddy Power.

“He is mentally quite immature, but today it fell together nicely and he fought hard,” said Doyle.

“He’s a horse who has got plenty of ability, there’s a lot under the bonnet, but he’s still quite unfurnished.

“The stiff six at Ascot has got to be perfect and he’s shown he can handle a big occasion, he’s got experience of the track so hopefully he’ll run well. We rate him very highly, he was one of our nicest colts and a nice early type.

“We’ve plenty of others in the pipeline that aren’t as forward as him, but as far as the early types go, he was always high on the list.”

Dante’s Lad relished a step up in trip to take the Royal Yorkshire Regiment Handicap for George Boughey and Tom Marquand.

The gelded son of Wootton Bassett joined Boughey from Joseph O’Brien’s stable, with his debut last season a third-placed run when beaten two and a half lengths by current Derby favourite Delacroix.

He got off the mark on the all-weather in his first run for Boughey, but has been unlucky in two turf starts since when unable to carry the form across to the turf.

That changed at York when he went off an overlooked 18-1 chance, and clearly appreciated the extended trip to fare best of all in a tight four-horse finish.

Richard Ryan of co-owners Teme Valley said: “He’s been an unlucky horse, he was robbed last time as unfortunately in the latter part of the race there was a Shadwell horse in difficulty that he had to negotiate.

“With his pedigree we chose to go further and it’s worked out well.

“He’s a nice horse and we might go now for the Golden Gates (at the Royal meeting), he’s been a bit unlucky but that was a lovely run.”

Elsewhere on the card, Frankies Dream prevailed for Jennie Candlish in the Reg Bond “Always And Forever” Handicap, winning by a short head under Hector Crouch at 11-2, while there was a popular winner of the last as the Marquand-ridden eight-year-old Mums Tipple (Richard Hannon, 7-2 favourite) rolled back the years for his first win since March 2023.

Katie Walsh salutes ‘absolutely brilliant’ Rachael Blackmore

Katie Walsh has hailed Rachael Blackmore as an “inspiration” who set new benchmarks for female riders after the Grand National and Gold Cup-winning jockey announced her retirement from the saddle on Monday.

Blessed with supreme talent, Walsh believes every highlight of Blackmore’s glittering career has been thoroughly deserved after she brought the curtain down with one final winner for long-time ally Henry de Bromhead at Cork on Saturday.

Walsh told the PA news agency: “Every opportunity she was given, she grabbed with two hands and she had a marvellous career.

“She would do very little wrong and all she would do is get better and better and better. She always had her homework done and knew exactly what she was doing.

“Her Cheltenham Festival winners were provided by Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead and to think she had the support of the champion trainer and another right at the top of the game was testament to her ability – and she also had an association with plenty of the big owners like Gigginstown.

“She had a great way of reading races, she was strong both physically and mentally and would line up there with the best of them every day of the week and she was just an inspiration as a human being, she was just absolutely brilliant.”

It was once Walsh herself and contemporary Nina Carberry who were seen as the trailblazers for women in the weighing room, but Blackmore’s achievements have rewritten the record books and surpassed the stellar accomplishments of her predecessors.

The 35-year-old bows out with 18 Cheltenham Festival victories and as well as her historic Gold Cup triumph aboard A Plus Tard in 2022, is amongst a select number of riders to have held aloft all four trophies of jump racing’s blue riband, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle.

Katie Walsh finished third in the Grand National aboard Seabass
Katie Walsh finished third in the Grand National aboard Seabass (David Davies/PA)

Blackmore also eclipsed Walsh’s then third-placed record finish by a female in the Grand National when becoming the first woman jockey in the 182-year history of the Aintree marathon to win the race aboard Minella Times in 2021, with Walsh highlighting a supreme dedication to her craft which allowed glass ceilings to be shattered.

Walsh continued: “It’s been great to witness some of those great days and she’s a star person and a perfect example to any young jockey starting out in the game – if you do what Rachael Blackmore does and you are good enough, success will come.

“She was extremely dedicated and worked very, very hard and you don’t get anywhere in this industry without working hard – and that’s what she did.

“She is a lovely person and she never changed a bit from the moment she started to the moment she finished and I’m delighted she gets to retire on her own terms.”

Blackmore was once the Pony Club protege who became an unintentional superstar of sport, but despite somewhat humble beginnings, her record is backed to stand the test of time, with Walsh – whose brother Ruby is one of the most decorated riders of all time – feeling her name is more than worthy of being mentioned amongst the greats of racing.

Rachael Blackmore celebrates on A Plus Tard after winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
Rachael Blackmore celebrates on A Plus Tard after winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

“I can’t see anyone in my lifetime that might surpass Rachael’s achievements,” added Walsh.

“At this moment in time, there is nobody, but that’s not to say that someone won’t come through – you would not have predicted this would happen 10 or 15 years ago.

“Who knows and that’s the beauty of it, but I’m just glad I was there for it and saw it all from the start to the finish – and in years to come, if no one else does come along, I can say I remember Rachael Blackmore and I know how her story started and how it finished.”

There have also been tributes paid from the world of Flat racing, where Hollie Doyle – fresh from passing Hayley Turner to become the most successful British female jockey at Ascot on Saturday – assessed the incomparable legacy Blackmore leaves and the impact she has had on the sport as a whole.

Jockey Hollie Doyle has praised Rachael Blackmore
Leading Flat jockey Hollie Doyle has praised Rachael Blackmore (Mike Egerton/PA)

“She’s obviously been a huge trailblazer and she’s just a great jockey,” said Doyle.

“What she’s done for everyone in racing really has been great and it’s been a great lift really over the last few years to have someone like her do what she’s done.

“She’s done it all, hasn’t she? She’s ticked every box and I suppose shut down any questions that were asked. I think it’s even harder in National Hunt racing and she has done it all.

“Henry de Bromhead has obviously been a great supporter and gave her the ammunition, but she’s been a great jockey and I think she’s proved a lot of people wrong.”

Another landmark for Hollie Doyle at Ascot

Hollie Doyle enjoyed another landmark victory when claiming the outright record for most winners by a female rider in Britain by striking on Brindavan at Ascot.

Doyle had moved alongside Hayley Turner at Chelmsford on Thursday and took the lead on her own with win number 1,023 on the Sean Woods-trained 8-1 chance in the Carey Group Handicap.

She told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s good and like I’ve said in the past, I’ve got to kind of pinch myself to believe that I’ve done this well, so long may it continue.”

The 28-year-old is married to fellow top jockey Tom Marquand and added: “We’ve both come a long way and some days we do sit back and really appreciate what’s happended, but we’re also always looking forward to what we can do next or what’s around the corner.

“But it’s a great milestone to have reached and I’ll keep kicking.”

Asked to name the pick of her many highlights so far, Doyle opted for her French Oaks triumph on board Nashwa.

“It probably would be my first Classic on Nashwa in Chantilly, that was special,” she said.

Paying tribute to Doyle, winning trainer Woods commented: “We don’t get to use her much but obviously today I asked her to get a lead and everything went like clockwork, she’s a great asset to the sport.”

Duty First and Hollie Doyle rout Fred Darling opposition

Duty First caused a 33-1 shock in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes when routing the opposition under Hollie Doyle at Newbury.

The Archie Watson-trained filly had shown some decent form as a juvenile, with her best performance coming when third in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket.

Nevertheless, she looked to have plenty to find against the likes of Simmering, Heavens Gate and the favourite Mountain Breeze.

While Mountain Breeze tried to make all before fading, the other two fancied runners never showed up at any stage.

Duty First moved into contention well over a furlong out, with the response immediate when Doyle asked her, and while Time For Sandals (14-1) gave chase she eventually lost second through her efforts.

Instead it was 40-1 chance in Hey Boo, previously unbeaten but putting up a huge career best for Jack Channon, who claimed second, three and a quarter lengths in arrears.

Watson said: “I don’t know if I was taken by surprise and I guess probably as it looked a very strong Fred Darling and you had proper Group horses in there.

“The way she has won it has probably surprised me, but the fact she has come and done something like that hasn’t really, as she has been in great order this spring.

“She can definitely go to a mile in the Guineas, she’s not in the English Guineas but I think that’s where she will run – she was actually scheduled to go to the Italian Guineas, but I don’t think that will happen now.

“I imagine after a performance like that she will go to Newmarket.

“She was still very raw when she ran in the Rockfel last year and I don’t think the undulations on the Rowley Mile will bother her, she’s also been round Goodwood and ran well there, so I’m happy. A Classic horse is what we all want.”

Hollie Doyle returns to the winner's enclosure with Duty First
Hollie Doyle returns to the winner’s enclosure with Duty First (David Davies/PA)

Doyle added: “She’s hit the line hard and I think she will improve for the step up to a mile. We’re not overly surprised, as her work at home has been good and we’ve always thought highly of her.

“She probably wasn’t quite where she needed to be last year and yet achieved more than she should have, so hopefully this is her year this year.”

Channon said of Hey Boo: “Our filly is still a big baby and George (Wood, jockey) said she travelled really sweet and he thought he had the winner covered, but she has just quickened very smartly and our filly just didn’t quite know what she was doing.

“Two runs on the all-weather is no real preparation for this type of race really, but you saw her class and potential at the end and a mile will see her in a lot better light – I wouldn’t swap her.

“She goes straight to the Guineas, she’s a high-class filly and I think she deserves her place there.”

Harry Eustace, trainer of the third-placed Time For Sandals, said: “I think we’re allowed to think about the Commonwealth Cup and her form is solid. It’s a race where fillies have done well in, funny enough, the few that have run in it, so we’ll think about that and we’ll just have to see how she trains.

“She’ll get an entry for it and that stiff six at Ascot could be ideal, but she’s a filly who could be a lot of fun.”

Hollie Doyle hits 1,000 mark in Britain with Lingfield strike

Hollie Doyle brought up a landmark 1,000th domestic career winner when steering the Marco Botti-trained Handle With Care to victory at Lingfield.

Doyle has rewritten the history books since registering her first success 11 years ago, breaking the record for the number of winners ridden by a female jockey in 2019 by chalking up 116 triumphs.

She has enjoyed big-race glory aplenty at home and abroad since, and in September last year made it 1,000 winners worldwide.

After matching that tally in the UK alone, Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: “I’m delighted to have got that done, it’s another milestone and hopefully there’s another 1,000 under the bonnet somewhere!

“I’ve had so much support over the years, so many people have been loyal to me, especially Archie (Watson). Since I joined him, my career has really taken off.

“Marco has also been a big supporter of mine, so it’s quite fitting.”

In 2020, Doyle made the breakthrough on the biggest stage, celebrating her first Royal Ascot winner when Alan King’s Scarlet Dragon landed the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. She also rode a five-timer at Windsor, secured her first Group-race success on Dame Maillot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and became retained rider for Derby-winning owner Imad Al Sagar.

Perhaps even more significantly, Doyle became the first woman to ride a winner on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot through her old ally Trueshan, before recording a landmark first Group One success when making it a double on Glen Shiel in the Champions Sprint.

Her first Classic success came in France in the 2022 Prix de Diane on Nashwa for John and Thady Gosden.

Other major achievements include being named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, as well as taking third place in the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

She added: “It’s crazy, I struggle to believe some of the things I’ve achieved and I’m pretty sure a lot of other people do as well!

“It’s amazing, I just need to keep going.”

Hollie Doyle enjoys joint-second place in Hong Kong jockeys’ challenge

Britain’s Hollie Doyle finished an honourable joint-second behind runaway winner Mickael Barzalona in the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Victory in the third leg on board Soleil Fighter earned Doyle 12 points and despite failing to score in any of the other three races, that was enough to see her finish best of the rest alongside New Zealand’s James McDonald.

However, French rider Barzalona was streets ahead on 30 points following wins on Sergeant Pepper and Aurora Lady in the first and fourth legs, plus a second place in race two behind McDonald’s mount Prince Alex.

Mickael Barzalona celebrates his Happy Valley success
Mickael Barzalona celebrates his Happy Valley success (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Ireland’s Colin Keane was fourth with 10 points thanks to a couple of placed efforts, while William Buick finished sixth in the table.

Doyle became the first female jockey to win a leg of the prestigious challenge event in 2020, when finishing tied for third overall, and was the IJC runner-up 12 months later.

The 28-year-old was clearly a favourite among the fans at Happy Valley and her supporters were celebrating when she scored by a neck on the David Haynes-trained Soleil Fighter.

“I think David gave me my first winner in the Longines IJC, so it’s nice to get him another one,” said Doyle. “The horse was very tough; he does need things to fall right, but they did.”

Hollie Doyle winning at Happy Valley on Soleil Fighter
Hollie Doyle winning at Happy Valley on Soleil Fighter (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Barzalona became the third French rider to lift the trophy following Christophe Lemaire (2009) and Olivier Peslier (1998 and 2006).

Going to post for the final leg, four other jockeys were in with a chance of at least matching his tally at that point, but he made sure of topping the table with a decisive victory on the Pierre Ng-trained Aurora Lady, despite having to start out wide from stall 12.

“Pierre was quite confident in Aurora Lady’s chances after he disappointed at Sha Tin last time when things didn’t work out,” said Barzalona.

“He’s been unlucky a couple of times recently and given we were drawn wide, he told me to try to get forward, as long as they didn’t go mad early on. I trusted my horse and he didn’t let me down.”

 

Hollie Doyle set for Melbourne Cup ride on Sea King

Hollie Doyle is set to partner Sea King in the Melbourne Cup after Harry Eustace’s gelding booked his spot in the Flemington showpiece by cruising to victory in the Bendigo Cup.

The five-year-old was making his debut for Eustace in the Group Three contest, having previously raced for Sir Mark Prescott in Britain, with his 18 starts encompassing five wins and a notable sixth in the Ebor last time out.

Subsequently purchased by OTI Racing and sent to Eustace, Sea King was well supported for the 12-furlong feature, with jockey Declan Bates riding with supreme confidence, allowing his mount to stride on round the field approaching the turn for home before pulling well clear in the straight.

Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, Eustace said: “We now can’t wait to run him in the (Melbourne) Cup, should we pass the vets’ scans.

“Obviously, the Ebor form looks strong, finishing ahead of Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator, and I think the two-mile trip should be fine.

“You’d have to think he’ll be competitive off the back of today’s win, so it’ll just be a case of whether he’s classy enough to go and win it.

“Declan Bates is unfortunately not able to do the weight in the Cup, so we’re lining Hollie Doyle up to take the ride, which would be a great booking.

“Based on his run today, if he can repeat that under Hollie, you’d like to think we’re going there with a live chance.”

Eustace and OTI Racing teamed up to finish fifth with Docklands in last Saturday’s Cox Plate and the trainer was delighted to see travelling companion Sea King sparkle on his Australian bow.

He added: “It was very exciting to see. We felt he’d really thrived in quarantine, but you never really know how well they are until they hit the track, so we were thrilled with how dominant he was in the end at Bendigo.

“It’s also a massive milestone for us as a team in winning our first Group race. It’s probably taken a little longer than we’d have liked, but to have achieved it in such an important race as we plot our way to the (Melbourne) Cup is huge.

“Any international winner is a big result too, especially in Australia at the moment as it’s becoming harder and harder to get horses running down here.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Terry (Henderson) and the team from OTI Racing. They took the plunge to buy him with this dream in mind and also to give us the confidence to send him down here alongside Docklands. Hopefully we can pull it off for them!”

Regarding the all-important medical examination, Eustace said: “Sea King will now undergo new CT scans on Thursday which will determine whether we’re allowed to run on Tuesday.

“He’s passed them before, and he’s not a younger horse like Jan Brueghel, so fingers crossed he’ll pass them, and we’ll be rocking and rolling on to the Cup.”

Impressive Cox Plate victor Via Sistina had been towards the head of the Melbourne Cup betting, but owners Yulong Investments have decided to bypass the Flemington highlight in favour of sticking at 10 furlongs for the Champions Stakes on Saturday week.

“We would desperately love to win a Melbourne Cup and we’ve probably got the best chance we’re ever going to have,” said Yulong’s general manager Vin Cox to Racing.com.

“But at the end of the day, the ultimate goal wasn’t the Melbourne Cup, it was the Cox Plate.

“The Melbourne Cup was then a bit of an afterthought, rather than the primary motivator – and afterthoughts tend not to end well on a racetrack.

“We all had to get our feet back on the ground, take all the emotion out of it and look at it analytically.”

Hollie Doyle pays tribute as Nashwa bows out

Hollie Doyle hailed Nashwa as the horse who took her career to new heights upon news of the five-year-old’s retirement.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa is owned by Imad Al Sagar, who employs Doyle as his retained rider.

That meant Doyle was on board for all of Nashwa’s 18 career outings, which included three Group One wins in the Prix de Diane, Nassau Stakes and Falmouth Stakes.

Unfortunately for her connections Nashwa failed to recover her best form this year following a trip to Dubai in the spring, but she retires healthy and Doyle will forever be grateful that she came along when she did.

Hollie Doyle on Nashwa after winning the Falmouth Stakes
Hollie Doyle on Nashwa after winning the Falmouth Stakes (David Davies/PA)

“She came along at a pivotal time in my career and she has been a star for the stud, Imad and myself,” said Doyle.

“She took my career to new heights and I’ll be forever thankful to her for that and I thank Imad for the opportunity.

“It was all just perfect timing. I remember riding her first time out at Newmarket. I’d got off to a really good start in the job and even though she didn’t win first time I got off and I was so excited, I could just tell she was going to be special.

“She doesn’t owe anyone anything and I’m glad that she’s going out perfectly sound.”

The progress Nashwa made from winning her first race at the end of April in 2022 to winning the Nassau Stakes that July was startling, once it was clear she did not stay a mile and a half in the Oaks.

While she did win three Group Ones, statistically her best performance came when a close third in the Juddmonte International against stablemate Mostahdaf and Paddington.

“Her most taking performance was when she won the Falmouth by five lengths but I suppose people could say it wasn’t that strong a renewal,” said Doyle.

“My favourite memory, though, is winning the French Oaks. She was absolutely class that day and she had to be really tough.

“The gap between our Oaks and the French wasn’t even three weeks but it was always the plan that if she didn’t stay at Epsom we’d go to France.

“Going into Epsom I just felt so alive because I was heading into a British Classic with a genuine chance. The doubt about the trip was always there but when we were coming around Tattenham Corner I was beginning to think we were going to win.

“Unfortunately, when we got to a furlong out I knew the stamina wasn’t there but I was already thinking that coming back to 10 furlongs she would take some beating.”

‘Superstar’ Nashwa has likely run her last race

Nashwa, a three-time Group One winner for John and Thady Gosden and owner Imad Al Sagar, has more than likely run her last race.

Since failing to stay the trip in the 2022 Oaks when third behind Tuesday, she has proved herself top class over a mile and 10 furlongs.

She was a Classic winner in France in the Prix de Diane, and added the Nassau Stakes on her next outing at Goodwood.

Nashwa finished her three-year-old career when getting going too late at the Breeders’ Cup, again behind Tuesday.

Arguably Nashwa's best run came in defeat when third to Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International last year
Arguably Nashwa’s best run came in defeat when third to Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International last year (Mike Egerton/PA)

Her four-year-old season started in inauspicious fashion with odds-on defeats in France and at Newcastle, but dropped down to a mile for the Falmouth Stakes, she bolted up by five lengths.

That was to be her final win but she earned more black type in the Nassau, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes.

The daughter of Frankel began the campaign in Dubai and while she ultimately was not beaten far in the Dubai Turf, the trip took its toll and she did not run again until the Sun Chariot, when failing to get involved and she was last of 11 in the Champion Stakes on Saturday.

She was ridden in all 18 of her races by Hollie Doyle.

“Nashwa, I think she’s going to come back, now,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for her owner.

“Really it was a very sporting of Imad to keep her in training this year, but it was just unfortunate the way things went in Dubai.

“After that we were always on the back foot with her this year and it just didn’t work out, unfortunately.

“There are not many triple Group One-winning Frankel fillies around, she’s been a superstar for the stud, really important.”

Bradsell and Believing clash again in battle for Abbaye honours

Archie Watson’s Bradsell and Hollie Doyle will have to overcome stall nine if they are to make it a Group One hat-trick in Sunday’s Prix de l’Abbaye.

The UK and Irish raiders have a fantastic record in the Group One sprint over five furlongs, but the race has not always gone to the fancied runners.

Part of the reason for that is down to the draw, although the likes of Move In Time, Marsha, Mabs Cross and Highfield Princess last year have all defied a double-figure stall in the past 10 years.

“We’d have liked to have been a little bit closer to the rail but I don’t think it stops us, we’re happy to run,” said Oliver St Lawrence, racing manager to Bradsell’s owners, Victorious Racing.

“It would have been better to have been two or three closer to the rail, but there’s no excuses.

“Highfield Princess, Mabs Cross, Move In Time, Tangerine Trees – they’ve all won from double-figure stalls so it’s not impossible so we march on.”

Winner of the Coventry Stakes two years ago, injury threatened to finish Bradsell’s career. But he has been brought back expertly this season to be unbeaten, including two defeats of George Boughey’s Believing in the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five at the Curragh.

“Believing has a nice draw, which is good, so we can hopefully settle that argument in everyone’s minds!” Lawrence continued.

“They’ve emerged as the top two around, the only other around is Lazzat who won the Maurice de Gheest and he’s heading for the Golden Eagle in Australia, I believe. Hopefully all will be revealed and the rain stays away.

“I think next year will depend on how he runs over the next short while, but I think he will probably retire. Archie and the team have done an amazing job to get him back and it is testament to the horse himself.”

The team behind Believing have been thankful of the journey they have been on with their filly and are hoping she can go out on a high for them, with the sales beckoning.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for her syndicate, Highclere Racing, said: “We’ve got the better draw this time, but neither of us have got the ground really. At least we are inside him.

“There’s not much between them in what we’ve seen the last twice.

“I’ve actually been looking back at the race she ran on Champions Day last year and she travelled so well until the furlong marker and didn’t get home over six.

“She has won on soft ground in Chantilly so we’ll just have to take it as it comes. This is her last race anyway before she heads to the December sales.”

He went on: “She’s in very good form, has travelled over there really well and she doesn’t owe us anything. She’s just been the most phenomenal filly and incredible for the syndicate – most of them will be over there to see her race for the last time for them.

“She’s been remarkable as a syndicate horse, these are such rare items. To race as much as she does, placed in the first four in five Group Ones and second in two, it’s extraordinary so it would be incredible if she could bow out – for us anyway – with a Group One win.”

No Half Measures has improved at a rate of knots for Richard Hughes
No Half Measures has improved at a rate of knots for Richard Hughes (PA)

As ever there is a strong UK and Irish challenge with Richard Hughes’ improving No Half Measures the mount of Oisin Murphy, and Ryan Moore on Aesop’s Fables for Aidan O’Brien.

There are two juveniles in receipt of plenty of weight – John Ryan’s Mill Reef runner-up La Bellota and Boughey’s filly Englemere, while Tom Clover has fitted Rogue Lightning with first-time blinkers having finished just over a length behind Highfield Princess last year.

Richard Brown, of owners Wathnan Racing, said: “This seems to be the time of year where he thrives and it was his best run of the year when he was just beaten in the Group Three over track and trip a few weeks ago. We hope he will have an each-way chance.”

Bradsell blazes to Flying Five glory at the Curragh

Bradsell produced another blistering display to supplement last month’s Nunthorpe success with another Group One victory in the Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

Having sat out the first half of the season before a comeback victory in Listed company at Deauville, Archie Watson’s speedball has quickly confirmed himself as the real deal in the five-furlong division.

Having won the Nunthorpe at York just over three weeks ago with something to spare, the four-year-old was sent off the 2-1 favourite to follow up and broke smartly to ensure he was right in the firing line from the off in the hands of Hollie Doyle.

After taking over the lead from fellow British raider Washington Heights racing inside the final two furlongs, Bradsell quickly drew clear of the chasing pack to win by a decisive length and a quarter.

George Boughey’s admirable mare Believing, runner-up in the Nunthorpe, got rolling late further across the track to again pick up second place.

“To be fair it was pretty easy watching. There wasn’t really a moment where you had any worries. He was imperious really,” said Watson.

“He never looked like being beat, he kicked clear and he’s done it very well.

“I was surprised he wasn’t favourite for the Nunthorpe and was surprised this morning when there was a bit of negativity about the horse. I thought he was by far the best sprinter around and I hope that he’s showing people that he is.

“He’s just got so much speed, so much class, he’s tough and he’s just a pleasure to have anything to do with.”

Bradsell on his way to victory at the Curragh
Bradsell on his way to victory at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA)

Paddy Power make Bradsell their 5-2 favourite from 4-1 for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, while the Prix de l’Abbaye in three weeks’ time at ParisLongchamp is also likely to come under consideration.

Watson added: “There are two more obvious races. The Abbaye is one, but I wouldn’t want it to be horrible ground or for him to be drawn stupidly high. If he got a good draw on all right ground there you’d say again he’d be very hard to beat.

“Then there is the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar which should be right up his street, a very quick five. One or both of those, all being well, would be the plan.”

When asked if Bradsell could return as a five-year-old next season, the trainer said: “I hope so. He’s very good, he’s obviously had a slightly truncated career and he hasn’t really had a full season yet.

“I might have the best two-year-old five-furlong horse in my yard in Aesterius so it depends on what’s coming through and will be three-year-olds next year.

“I’d obviously love to have this horse to run throughout the year in all these divisions because I’d say he’d be very hard to beat again.”

Seeking Value with Female Flat Jockeys

The 3.30 race at Goodwood on September 3rd 2024 will be one that Hollie Doyle will cherish for the rest of her life, writes Dave Renham. It was the race where she rode her 1000th career winner on the David Simcock-trained Leyhaimur. In doing so, Hollie became only the second woman to achieve this monumental feat following in the footsteps of Hayley Turner who rode her 1000th winner in November last year (2023).

Horse racing is one of the few sports where men and women compete against each other on a level playing field. One would sincerely hope that by now Doyle and Turner have proven to trainers, punters, bookmakers and fellow jockeys alike that women riders can be as successful as their male counterparts.

Back in January 2021 Matt wrote a piece on the site where he set about trying to answer two questions:

1. Has the sport begun to level the chasmic disparity between male and female rider opportunities? and

2. To what degree is it appropriate to do that based on performance data?

 

His study covered a five-year period from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2020 and the link to read it is www.geegeez.co.uk/male-and-female-jockeys-a-comparison/.

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What I plan to do with this article is twofold. In the first part I am aiming to build upon the start of Matt’s research into his question of gender disparity, bringing us up to date over the subsequent four years. In the second part I would like to focus solely on the performance of female jockeys.

Male vs female: Overall Numbers

Firstly, let me share Matt’s findings for all riders in UK flat races between 2016 and 2020, broken down by gender focusing solely on the percentage of rides for each group.

 

 

As the pie chart shows, a whopping 91% of all rides were taken by male jockeys during this time frame. That's an enormous disparity. The question is, have matters improved at all in more recent times? Below is the same male/female percentage comparison but looking at data from 1st January 2021 to 5th September 2024:

 

 

Things have improved but just barely. I wonder if we have seen a year-on-year increase or not? Let’s see:

 

 

From 2021 to 2023 we were heading downwards not upwards. At least 2024 has seen the percentage move in the direction it should be. As can be seen, parity is a long way away and even an 80/20 male to female split seems years, possibly decades, away.

For these figures to change we need to see more Hollie Doyles. What I mean by that is that Hollie has ridden 17% of all the rides given to female jockeys in 2024. That equates to 796 rides out of the 4741 total rides for all female jockeys. Only two other female jockeys have had more than 300 rides this year to date, those being Saffie Osborne on 493 and Joanna Mason on 470. If, say, just another three female jockeys had been given the opportunities this year that Hollie has had (e.g. ridden in nearly 800 races), then the male riders to female riders’ splits would have moved from 88.7% male rides vs 11.3% female rides, to a better, if still badly unbalanced, split of 82.9% vs 17.1%. However, that would still be a solid improvement on the situation in a scenario where just three female jockeys get those better opportunities - and two of them used the lever of family connections to get started. Riders need races to gain experience, and the simple truth is that female jockeys are still not getting enough opportunities.

 

Male vs female: Favourites

Matt’s article also looked at data for favourites in terms of the male rides / female rides percentage splits. From 2016 to 2020 only 6.7% of all favourites were ridden by female jockeys. In the more recent past (2021 onwards) this has improved a little, but only to 8.3%. However, when we look at the overall results (2021-2024) for both groups of favourites we see some interesting findings:

 

 

Strike rates for both are within 0.33% of each other, but female jockeys have offered punters by far the better value. Losses to SP have been 7p in the £ better for female riders compared with the male jocks. Meanwhile the female A/E index is an excellent 0.96 compared with 0.91 for male riders. To Betfair SP backing all favourites ridden by female jockeys would have made a blind profit of £46.97 (ROI +2.6%).

If we examine like for like we get a better idea why the female jockeys have had the best of it on favourites. Most races in this favourite sample have been handicap races (because 71% of flat races in 2024 have been handicaps - and similar percentages apply to the other recent years). 80% of the races where females rode the favourite and 68% of races where males did have been handicap races. And in these handicap races female riders have outperformed their male counterparts. Here are the handicap favourite results for ’21 to ‘24 split by gender of the rider:

 

 

In these like for like races female jockeys have a better strike rate by roughly 1.5%, and they have almost broken even to SP, as compared with losses of 10% for males. The A/E index values (0.97 vs 0.91) also show a value edge for female riders. This represents a still present blind spot in the markets.

Before moving to part 2 of my piece, all the other stat comparisons Matt made in his write-up have similar percentage splits now to what they were then. As an example of this, from 2016 to 2020 25.2% of all apprentice jockey rides came from female riders, from 2021 onwards it stands marginally higher at 26.4%.

We can only hope the next four or five years sees a vast improvement and many more opportunities for female jockeys.

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Top Female Jockeys: An Overview

At this juncture, it's time to move away from the male vs female rider comparison and focus solely on the ladies. Let me look at the records of the female jockeys who have had the most rides between January 2021 and early September 2024 (ordered by number of rides):

 

 

Hollie Doyle

Hollie Doyle has the highest win percentage but over the years, as her stock has risen, it has become difficult to find profitable angles when backing her. Hollie still performs exceptionally well and is obviously one of the top jockeys in the country; it is just that she has become very popular with punters which makes her expensive to follow generally speaking.

If we go back to the previous two years (2019 and 2020), her ROI was -8% to SP, and you could have secured a healthy £177.24 (ROI +9.9%) if backing all her mounts to BSP. These 2019-2020 figures were achieved with a virtually identical strike rate to what transpired in 2021-2024. Clearly, then, it is this rising popularity in the last four years especially that have driven down the prices on her runners and thus any value has been stifled.

Saffie Osborne

That has yet to happen  - though of course it will do - with Saffie Osborne, as backing all her rides “blind” in the past four seasons would have secured a profit to BSP of £65.98 (ROI +3.6%). In fact, Osborne has produced a blind profit to BSP in each of the last three years.

I am a firm believer that Saffie Osborne, if given the right opportunities, can be as successful as Hollie Doyle in the years to come. She is only 22 and she seems to be going from strength to strength, especially when we consider her yearly performances in terms of the A/E index stat. This stat is one that attempts to establish value where, generally speaking, a figure above 1.00 represents a good value proposition. Here are Osborne’s A/E figures by year:

 

 

As the graph shows her figures have been getting better and better year on year. No wonder she has proved profitable to back to BSP more recently.

Saffie has had an excellent record with horses near the front end of the betting since the start of 2021. Those runners with an SP of 6/1 or shorter have provided her with 162 winners from 653 runners (SR 24.8%) for an SP profit of £40.04 (ROI + 6.1%). To BSP this improves to +£97.50 (ROI +15%). If we extend this to horses priced 14/1 or shorter, she is still in profit to SP to the tune of £31.54 (ROI +2.5%) thanks to 220 wins from 1277 rides (SR 17.3%). To BSP her profits stand at a healthy £207.88 (ROI +16.3%).

I am sure the value on Saffie Osborne’s mounts will soon diminish, especially if continuing this upwards spiral. However, for the moment I think she will continue to offer punters good value.

Joanna Mason

Another female jockey to impress me recently has been Joanna Mason. She primarily rides for the Mick & David Easterby - granddad and uncle respectively - yard and, when we compare her record for this yard with all other jockeys combined, we see the following:

 

 

Her stats are far better than when combining all the other Easterby jockeys in one group. This has also been the case when we compare the results of the more fancied runners from the stable. With Easterby horses priced 9/1 or shorter we get these splits:

 

 

It should be noted that to BSP a blind profit could have been had backing all of Joanna's runners, as well as the subset of those priced 9/1 or shorter.

It is a shame that she has not been given many opportunities from the bigger yards: she has ridden five times for William Haggas including three rides since May this year. She has ridden one winner and had three placed horses so hopefully more rides will come her way from that stable soon.

Hayley Turner

Hayley Turner averages around 400 rides a year these days, down somewhat on the peak of her career when between 2006 and 2012 she averaged 725 rides per year. However, she is still performing well 24 years after her first ride and especially when her horse is prominent in the betting. In the past four seasons on horses with an SP of 4/1 or shorter she has won 81 of her 264 rides (SR 30.7%) for a small £10.76 profit to SP. This equates to a return of just over 4p in the £. To BSP the figures improve to +£28.65 (ROI +10.9%).

David Simcock and Andrew Balding continue to use Hayley on a fairly regular basis and these two trainers have provided her with the most rides in the past four seasons. Both trainers have been rewarded with excellent results:

 

 

Turner has been very close to breaking even for both trainers across all their combination runners, and to BSP she has made a profit of £15.77 (ROI +9.3%) for Balding, and £21.83 (ROI +10.8%) for Simcock.

Josephine Gordon

Josephine Gordon has an overall win strike rate of only 7% across the past four seasons but 58% of her rides have been on horses priced 14/1 or bigger. Hence, she tends to ride lesser fancied runners which explains that low strike rate. However, when we focus on her rides on horses whose prices were 12/1 or shorter at SP her record reads 57 wins from 458 rides (SR 14.6%). These runners have edged into profit at SP to the tune of £2.42. To BSP profits stand at +£64.66 (ROI +14.1%).

While writing this article there has been quite a coincidence because Josephine Gordon has just won at Kempton in the Class 2 London Mile Series Final Handicap on Whitcombe Rocker at 11/1, giving him a brilliant ride from a tough outside stall. Funny how things happen like that!

One to note: Olivia Tubb

To finish up I want to talk about an apprentice who, despite having only 122 rides to date, could be the real deal. Her name is Olivia Tubb, and she is currently apprentice jockey to Jonathan Portman. Her overall record is impressive:

 

Clearly it is early days, but when we examine her record for Portman, she has a 17.7% strike rate producing returns to SP of 26p in the £ (44p to BSP). All other jockeys combined when riding for Portman have won just 7.4% of races losing a whopping 45p in the £.

It is also impressive to note that with horses priced 4/1 or shorter she is 11 from 29 (SR 37.9%) for a profit to SP of £15.24 (ROI +52.6%). Her A/E index stands at a huge 1.55. She should have an exciting future – let’s hope she gets enough chances to prove it.

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To conclude, there is sadly still a wide opportunity chasm between the chances afforded to male riders as compared to female riders. That needs to change because there is plenty of female talent in the jockey ranks - and the stats I've shared I hope has proved that beyond doubt.

- DR

Big wins and big smiles – Hollie Doyle continues to light up racing

With Hollie Doyle celebrating her 1,000th career victory, we take a look at some of her top moments to date:

She's done it! A first Group One courtesy of Glen Shiel was special for Hollie Doyle
She’s done it! A first Group One courtesy of Glen Shiel was special for Hollie Doyle (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Sky Bet Ebor Festival – York Racecourse – Friday August 23rd
Big smiles from Hollie Doyle after winning the Nunthorpe at York with Bradsell (Mike Egerton/PA).

Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup – Ascot Racecourse – Saturday 12th August
Hayley Turner, Saffie Osborne and Hollie Doyle winning the Shergar Cup (Steven Paston/PA).

The Boodles July Festival 2023 – Festival Friday – Newmarket Racecourse
Hollie Doyle on Nashwa following the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket (David Davies/PA).

Royal Ascot 2023 – Day One – Ascot Racecourse
Hollie Doyle celebrates victory aboard Bradsell in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA).

The Platinum Queen and Hollie Doyle return after the Abbaye at ParisLongchamp
The Platinum Queen and Hollie Doyle return after the Abbaye at ParisLongchamp (PA)

Qatar Goodwood Festival 2022 – Day Three – Goodwood Racecourse
Hollie Doyle celebrates winning the Nassau Stakes with Nashwa (Adam Davy/PA).

Northumberland Plate Festival – Day Three – Newcastle Racecourse
Trueshan and Hollie Doyle after winning the Northumberland Plate (Adam Davy/PA).

Goodwood Festival – Day One
Hollie Doyle aboard Trueshan following victory in the Goodwood Cup (John Walton/PA).

Ascot Races – October 17th
Glen Shiel ridden by Hollie Doyle wins the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Hollie Doyle brings up landmark 1,000th career success

Hollie Doyle brought up a landmark 1,000th career winner in steering Leyhaimur to victory at Goodwood on Tuesday.

Doyle has rewritten the history books since registering her first success 11 years ago, breaking the record for the number of winners ridden by a female jockey in 2019 by chalking up 116 triumphs.

She has enjoyed big-race glory at home and abroad since, just last month registering her ninth European Group One win aboard Bradsell in the Nunthorpe at York.

After drawing a blank from six rides at Brighton on Monday, Doyle headed to the Sussex Downs in need of a double to achieve the four-figure mark and struck first aboard the Robert Cowell-trained Almaty Star in the five-furlong handicap.

She was out of luck in the following race, finishing eighth of 10 on Shimmering Spin, but was soon back in the winner’s circle as David Simcock’s 6-1 shot Leyhaimur ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner of the fillies’ nursery.

“Never when I started off my career did I imagine I would ride this many winners,” a jubilant Doyle told Racing TV.

“I’m just really grateful for all the support I’ve had so far; from trainers, owners, my agent – they’ve done a great job for me so far, even though I’m probably a nightmare to work for.

“Now all I can think about is the next thousand!”

Hollie Doyle after riding Scarlet Dragon to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot
Hollie Doyle after riding Scarlet Dragon to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Doyle has ridden more than 100 winners every year since 2019, with her best tally so far totalling 172 in 2021, and she has already broken the century for this season.

In 2020 she made the breakthrough on the biggest stage, celebrating her first Royal Ascot winner when Alan King’s Scarlet Dragon landed the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. She also rode a five-timer at Windsor and secured her first Group-race success on Dame Maillot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and became retained ride for Derby-winning owner Imad Al Sagar.

Perhaps even more significantly, Doyle became the first woman to ride a winner on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot through her old ally Trueshan, before recording a landmark first Group One success when making it a double on Glen Shiel in the Champions Sprint.

Other major achievements include being named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, as well as taking third place in the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Bradsell and Hollie Doyle winning the Nunthorpe at York
Bradsell and Hollie Doyle winning the Nunthorpe at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Doyle is now thoroughly established at the top of the riding ranks, having secured further Group One gold on Trueshan, The Platinum Queen, Nashwa and Bradsell, while in 2022 she was joint-second in the jockeys’ championship – riding the same amount of winners as her husband, Tom Marquand.

She has also enjoyed success on foreign soil, riding 13 winners during a two-month spell in Japan, winning the Italian Oaks on Shavasana and partnering True Self to victory for Willie Mullins in the richly-endowed Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Doyle is not the first British-based female jockey to enjoy 1,000 career victories, with Hayley Turner having accomplished the feat last year.

However, while Turner took 23 years – including some hefty injury absences and a period of retirement – to reach the mark, Doyle has taken less than half that time.

She added: “I was riding for about six years or so before I really got going, so it feels like an age to me, but obviously statistically it’s all happened in a short period of time and it feels like two minutes ago since I had my first ride.”

Northumberland Plate Festival – Day Three – Newcastle Racecourse
Trueshan with Hollie Doyle after winning the Northumberland Plate (Richard Sellers/PA).

Reflecting on her biggest triumphs, Doyle said: “I’m really lucky, I’ve come across some really nice horses, so I’ve been very blessed, but I suppose my first Group One on Glen Shiel was a big day and then Nashwa came with my first Classic winner, so they are days I’ll never forget.

“But the Goodwood Cup here (on Trueshan) was a pretty good day as well and hopefully I’ve got plenty more good days to look forward to as well.”

Trueshan has provided Doyle with 10 of her winners and she continued: “We’ve had our ups and downs, some days haven’t gone as planned, but we’ve had some great days in the sun, including this year.

“He’s hopefully just as effective as he has been in previous years and I look forward to seeing him back out.”

Her partnership with Archie Watson has gone from strength to strength, but Doyle is also grateful to other handlers.

She said: “Archie has been a huge supporter of mine, but I started off with Dave Evans, who gave me a really good grounding, then I went on to Richard Hannon’s, where I rode my claim out and they gave me a great education and prepared me for life as a professional jockey.

“I took the step into Archie’s yard and it’s just progressed from there really.”

As for future ambitions, Doyle declared: “Obviously, I want to ride as many Group One winners as I can, I think that’s every jockey’s dream.

“My ultimate dream was to be champion, but I know that’s very hard. I want it enough and I’ve got the work ethic for it, it’s just whether I’m capable or good enough.”

Hollie Doyle within sight of 1,000 career winners

Hollie Doyle is looking to follow up Bradsell’s stunning Nunthorpe success in the Flying Five at the Curragh, after moving tantalisingly close to 1,000 career winners with her 100th success of the year at Ripon.

Doyle rode Archie Watson’s Zayer (4-5 favourite) to victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes, blazing a trail and setting a new track record in the process.

“It’s good to get that done, especially for the team at Archie’s. He’s a really nice horse and we’ve always thought highly of him,” Doyle told Sky Sports Racing.

“The further he went the better, he’s quite unfurnished and weak still so he found the track quite challenging, but I think he’ll be a nice horse next year.”

The win moved Doyle to within three of 1,000 winners, just 11 years after her first in 2013, with almost 700 of those having come in the last five years.

“That was my target at the start of the year, to try to get to 1,000 international (career) winners,” she said.

“I’m not too far away so that will be good to get that done.”

Doyle’s smile lit up York last week when Bradsell scorched a trail in the Nunthorpe and she is hoping he can repeat the dose in the Flying Five at the Curragh on September 15.

Bradsell pulls clear to win the Nunthorpe
Bradsell pulls clear to win the Nunthorpe (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He seems absolutely fine since his run, you have to take every day as it comes with him, but he seems fine since York,” she said.

“All systems go for the Flying Five, hopefully. He showed so much natural speed and I think he’s getting better with age, which can be the case with sprinters.

“All being well it will be Ireland next, that’s what Archie mentioned.”