Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle is set to compete at Newmarket's Craven meeting, with a notable ride on Derby prospect Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. This week's Craven Meeting at Newmarket will be crucial in determining the potential of my standout ride, Wareeth, a promising colt trained by my boss Archie Watson.
Wareeth will participate in the Listed Feilden Stakes, a significant step up in class following his impressive 14-length victory in a novice race over 1m at Newcastle last month. Although he doesn't currently hold a Derby entry, we've been pleased with his progress since his debut. I had the opportunity to ride him last week and was impressed, but his second start will be a more accurate indicator of his abilities.
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.
Poseidon's Warrior, a Godolphin colt, also makes the leap from novice company after winning over this distance at Goodwood and is 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 been active on the All-Weather over the winter, winning at Wolverhampton and giving a good battle to Completely Random at Lingfield Park. Approaching his prime as a five-year-old, he's a few pounds higher than his best winning performance at York in 2023 but appears to be a 90 horse.
I've had the chance to ride work on Jane Chapple-Hyam's outsider HARLEQUIN BREEZE and 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 improved with every run and impressed me with her determination over course and distance back in November. IMPOSSIBLE MISSION needs to demonstrate 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 winning handicap debut under Neil Callan at Wolverhampton in November and should have come on for his reappearance there last month. 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 powerful yards over 1m, which may be a minimum trip for her in due course, being out of a 10f winning daughter of Golden Horn. 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. The race appears to be wide open, 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. 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.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing's Simon Mapletoft.