Hollie Doyle is gearing up for a packed Saturday at the races, and she shares all the excitement in her latest exclusive blog entry. My trainer, Archie Watson, has dispatched two promising juveniles from his Lambourn yard all the way to Thirsk for Saturday’s fixtures, and I’ll be making the journey north to New Yorkshire to mount them.
Before Merlier attempts to secure a third consecutive win, our two‑year‑old filly NIEWIADOMA – a beautiful daughter of Cotai Glory – will make her long‑awaited debut in the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes over 1 m 37 f. I’ve had the pleasure of riding her several times in training ahead of this first day at school, and I could not be more delighted with what she has shown.
Bought for £40,000 as a yearling, she possesses a generous turn of foot and a wonderfully cooperative temperament. Assessing her five opponents is a bit of a guessing game, as each of them is also making their first appearance on a racecourse.
Among them is Karl Burke’s Blue Point‑bred daughter, Bai Tong, who fetched a relatively high price of 125,000 guineas at auction. All eyes will be on how these newcomers handle the track. MERLIER has been making steady progress on all‑weather surfaces, so I’m eager to get back in the saddle for the Stirrup Bar For Deli‑Style Dining Packages Handicap over 5 f ¼. He captured a five‑furlong maiden at Newcastle for jockey Luke Morris, then followed up with a penalty win over the same distance at Wolverhampton, earning an opening rating of 85 – a figure that feels appropriate given his performances.
On Sky Sports Racing today, the focus turns to the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, where Zavateri and Albert Einstein will clash. Newbury’s tipsters have marked Zavateri as the horse to watch in this Saturday showdown. The Spring Trials weekend also kicks off at Newbury, while at Newmarket Oxagon delivered a Craven Stakes triumph for the in‑form Gosden stable, and Azleet, after a stunning 50‑1 upset in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, has thrown her hat into the ring for the 1,000 Guineas. My own blog notes that I’m hoping to glean more insight into Derby prospect Wareeth when I ride him in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket.
Never miss a story – the latest racing news, interviews and features are just a tap away on your mobile device. Entering a handicap for the first time is a whole new challenge. The horse I’ll be riding is stepping up against proven sprinters and has never contested a turf race before, but the good ground should suit him and I’m pleased with a middle draw from stall five. Having been eased to a career‑low rating, I anticipate that WARM SPELL will be competitive in the first division of the Join Racing TV Today Handicap over 3 f ½.
He has produced respectable runs for trainer Mark Loughnane after being heavily tested under his former trainer Roger Varian. My husband, Tom Marquand, rode him to a Listed victory as a two‑year‑old, beating the high‑class Dancing Gemini. Strong efforts over seven furlongs at Sandown and Kempton last autumn, coupled with a close second on his return to action last year, demonstrate that he can stay fresh and perform well over his usual distance. Veteran northern trainer Wilf Storey was one of my staunchest supporters when I was an apprentice a decade ago, so it will be a pleasure to ride for him at Thirsk.
I’ll be aboard his course‑and‑distance winner IDYLLIC in the Happy 21st Birthday Lily Watkinson Handicap over 4 f ⅜. This mare captured a win at the same track last summer at a comparable rating and should relish the familiar conditions.
Meanwhile, Mark Walford arrived in flying form at Ripon on Thursday, completing his first ever flat treble. That momentum could bode well for his new recruit SOLAR BIRICZ in the Nick Simpson Cannot Be 60 Handicap over 2 f ½. The gelding claimed a five‑furlong handicap at Doncaster last summer for Brian Ellison, and this will be his first run over six furlongs, offering Walford and his team valuable insight into his stamina.
I’m also rooting for Eve Johnson Houghton and Charlie Bishop to keep their Classic aspirations alive with Betfred 2,000 Guineas hopeful ZAVATERI in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes (2 f ½) at Newbury, broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Their colt Without Parole set a high benchmark after capping a glittering juvenile campaign with a Group 1 National Stakes win in Ireland.
Though he appeared a touch uncomfortable on the undulating Newmarket surface in the Dewhurst, Oxagon, who finished just behind him, validated the form by winning the Craven Stakes on Thursday. Albert Einstein’s return in a Listed race at the Curragh three weeks ago was underwhelming, yet it is intriguing that Aidan O’Brien has opted to run him again over seven furlongs, despite earlier hints that his target would be the major sprints later in the season. The Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes – more commonly known as the Fred Darling – at Newbury on Saturday looks wide open, with several fillies offering comparable prospects. I am convinced that Shadwell’s TOULEEN is better than her performance in the Rockfel last autumn suggested, and she will need to be at her best to win this traditional Classic trial – a race I captured on a 33‑1 outsider, Duty First, twelve months ago.
Returning to the flatter surface where she debuted, Owen Burrows’ filly should be well‑placed, though she may face stiff competition from Richard and Peter Fahey’s Catching The Moon, a mare who triumphed at Ayr in September and now has Ryan Moore in the saddle. It would be a remarkable achievement for young trainer Jack Channon if URBAN LION could add a win in the Win Unique Experiences at OLBG Prizes Spring Cup Handicap (3 f ⅛) at Newbury to his Lincoln victory. The latest horse racing headlines, interviews and features are all available via Sky Sports Racing. He edged out Rogue Diplomat by the narrowest margin on Town Moor, and while another close finish is likely, I believe he still has room for improvement to confirm his form for a progressive yard and give Eddie Greatrex another notable win.
I also expect Simon and Ed Crisford’s Shout to improve on his Doncaster effort. With champion jockey Oisin Murphy aboard, he becomes another contender worth keeping an eye on. I’m hoping to see the seasoned veteran Al AASY capture the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (John Porter) at 2 f ⅜ for Tom Marquand and William Haggas.
The gallant nine‑year‑old loves this track and could keep Karl Burke’s likely favourite Convergent on his toes. In closing, I sat down with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft to discuss the upcoming fixtures, the horses I’ll be riding, and my hopes for the day ahead.