Hollie Doyle Blog: Discovering the Potential of Derby Contender Wareeth

Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle is set to participate in the Craven meeting at Newmarket, with a notable ride on the promising Derby contender Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. This week, I'll be riding my standout mount, Wareeth, in the Feilden Stakes, and we'll find out if he has what it takes to be a potential Derby horse. Wareeth, trained by Archie Watson, will be taking a significant step up in class after his impressive 14-length victory in his novice race over 1m at Newcastle last month. Although he doesn't currently hold a Derby entry, we've been impressed with his progress since his debut. I had the opportunity to ride him last week, and he felt great, but we'll learn more about his abilities after this second start. Aidan O'Brien's Isaac Newton has an edge in terms of experience, having won his maiden at Goodwood and finished fourth in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He holds a Derby entry and boasts an official rating of 106, setting the standard for the other contenders. Both Wareeth and Godolphin's Poseidon's Warrior are making the leap from novice company, with the latter 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 Heather Main's ZOULU CHIEF in the Weatherbys With Venatour Racing Handicap on Wednesday, having run a great race for me at Newmarket in the autumn. After a busy winter on the All-Weather, winning at Wolverhampton and giving a good battle to Completely Random at Lingfield Park, he's approaching his prime as a five-year-old. Despite being a few pounds higher than his best winning performance at York in 2023, he looks every bit a 90 horse. I've had the chance to ride Jane Chapple-Hyam's outsider HARLEQUIN BREEZE, and I believe she's worth her place in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes on Wednesday. Although she's likely to be an outsider, this tough daughter of New Bay brings some impressive form into this Betfred 1000 Guineas trial, having gotten 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 prove himself on turf, receiving 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 when he was just too keen. Meanwhile, Des Donovan's LADY FIZZ will be all about gaining experience in the Molson Coors British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes, taking on fillies from powerful yards over 1m, which may be a minimum trip for her in due course. I'm looking forward to riding Marco Botti's Shergar Cup winner PRINCE OF INDIA in the Zyn Abernant Stakes on Thursday. It'll be the first time I've ridden him on the track, but I liked him when I sat on him on the gallops last year. He's a powerfully built colt who could prove a force in stakes sprints this summer. It looks like being 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'm expecting big things from Hawk Mountain this year, so 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 at Headquarter. 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 girth, can establish himself as a genuine Pattern performer this season.