Hollie Doyle Blog: Gearing Up for Newmarket's Craven Meeting with Derby Hopeful Wareeth

This week, I'm excited to be competing at Newmarket's Craven meeting, where I'll have the opportunity to ride the highly promising Derby contender Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. On Wednesday, my mount Wareeth, trained by Archie Watson, will take on the challenge of the Feilden Stakes, and I'm eager to see how he performs. The additional furlong should suit the son of Sea The Stars, who made a impressive debut with a 14-length victory in a novice race at Newcastle last month. Although Wareeth doesn't currently hold a Derby entry, his performance has been delightful since his racecourse debut, and I was pleased with how he felt during our recent gallop. However, it's after this second start that we'll have a better understanding of his potential. 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. Similarly, Poseidon's Warrior will be making the leap from novice company, having won 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 also looking forward to riding Heather Main's sprinter Zoulu Chief in the Weatherbys With Venatour Racing Handicap on Wednesday. After a lovely run at Newmarket in the autumn, I'm expecting another strong performance from him. Having been busy on the All-Weather over the winter, including a win at Wolverhampton and a good battle against Completely Random at Lingfield Park, Zoulu Chief is approaching his prime as a five-year-old. Although he's a few pounds higher than his best winning performance at York in 2023, he appears to be a 90 horse. I've had the chance to ride Jane Chapple-Hyam's outsider Harlequin Breeze in a work session, and I believe she's worth her place in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes on Wednesday. Despite likely being 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 demonstrate that he's 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 successful handicap debut under Neil Callan at Wolverhampton in November and should have improved after his reappearance there last month. Meanwhile, Des Donovan's Lady Fizz will be gaining valuable experience in the Molson Coors British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes. This debutant will be competing against fillies from prominent yards over 1m, which may prove to be a minimum trip for her in due course, given that she's out of a 10f winning daughter of Golden Horn. On Thursday, I'm looking forward to riding Marco Botti's Shergar Cup winner Prince Of India in the Zyn Abernant Stakes. Although it'll be my first time riding 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 be a force in stakes sprints this summer. The race appears to be wide-open, but Prince Of India should be in top condition after a creditable comeback in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month. I have high expectations for 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. As a Group 1 winner after taking the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October, Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett can strengthen his own Derby claims. Another favourite of mine, Karl Burke's Boiling Point, returns to turf in the Group 3 Betway Earl Of Sefton Stakes on Wednesday. The Cambridgeshire winner likely 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.