Hollie Doyle's Newmarket Blog: High Hopes for Derby Prospect Wareeth

This week, I'll be riding at Newmarket's Craven meeting, with a thrilling opportunity to partner the promising Derby contender Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. On Wednesday, I'll be on board my standout ride for the meeting, Wareeth, as he takes on the challenge of the Listed Feilden Stakes. The extra distance will suit this talented colt, who is taking a significant step up in class after his impressive 14-length victory in a novice race at Newcastle last month. Although he doesn't currently hold a Derby entry, we've been delighted with his progress since his debut, and I was pleased with how he felt when I rode him last week. However, it's only after this second start that we'll have a clearer understanding of his abilities. Aidan O'Brien's Isaac Newton has the benefit of experience, having won his maiden at Goodwood and finished a promising fourth in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He holds a Derby entry and boasts an official rating of 106, setting a high standard for the other contenders. Like Wareeth, Poseidon's Warrior is making the leap from novice company after winning over this distance at Goodwood and is also entered in the Classic. All three colts are set to compete in the traditional Derby trial, the Group 2 Dante at York next month. I'm expecting a strong performance from ZOULU CHIEF in the Weatherbys With Venatour Racing Handicap on Wednesday, having run a lovely race for me at Newmarket in the autumn. He's had a busy winter on the All-Weather, winning at Wolverhampton and giving a good account of himself against Completely Random at Lingfield Park. Now approaching his prime as a five-year-old, he's a few pounds higher than his best winning performance at York in 2023, but he appears to be a 90 horse. I've had the opportunity to ride Jane Chapple-Hyam's outsider HARLEQUIN BREEZE in her work, and I believe she's worth her place in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes on Wednesday. Despite likely being a long shot, this tough daughter of New Bay brings some impressive form into this Betfred 1000 Guineas trial, having finished within a neck of William Haggas's well-regarded Zooming. Harlequin Breeze is still a maiden after three starts but has shown improvement with every run and impressed me with her determination over course and distance back in November. IMPOSSIBLE MISSION needs to demonstrate that he's just as effective on turf as he is on the All-Weather when he receives weight from all his rivals in the National Stud Handicap on Wednesday. John Butler's three-year-old made a winning handicap debut under Neil Callan at Wolverhampton in November and should have come on for his reappearance there last month, although he was a bit too keen. For Des Donovan's LADY FIZZ, it will be all about gaining experience in the Molson Coors British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes. This debutant takes on fillies from some powerful yards over 1m, which may prove to be a minimum trip for her in due course, being out of a 10f winning daughter of Golden Horn. I'm looking forward to partnering Marco Botti's Shergar Cup winner PRINCE OF INDIA in the Zyn Abernant Stakes on Thursday. Although I've never ridden him on the track, I was impressed when I sat on him on the gallops last year. He's a powerfully built colt who could prove to be a force in stakes sprints this summer. It appears to be a wide-open race, but this son of Wootton Bassett should be spot on after a creditable comeback in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month. I have high expectations for Hawk Mountain this year, and I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make a winning return in the Group 3 Betway Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett is already a Group 1 winner after taking the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October and can strengthen his own Derby claims. Another favourite of mine is Karl Burke's Boiling Point, who returns to turf in the Group 3 Betway Earl Of Sefton Stakes on Wednesday. The Cambridgeshire winner probably needed the outing in a steadily run Winter Derby, but with that run under his belt, he can establish himself as a genuine Pattern performer this season.