Sky Sports Racing’s ambassador, jockey Hollie Doyle, is back at Newmarket for this week’s Craven meeting, where she will take a promising ride on Derby hopeful Wareeth in the Listed Feilden Stakes. The event offers a chance to gauge whether the colt could become a serious contender for next Wednesday’s Epsom Derby.
The focus will be on Wareeth, a son of the legendary Sea The Stars, who steps up in class for the Feilden Stakes over 2¼ miles. After a dominant 14‑length victory in his novice debut over a mile at Newcastle last month, the extra furlong should suit his stamina‑rich pedigree.
Although Wareeth does not yet hold an official Derby entry, his impressive debut has already won over many observers, including myself. I felt a strong connection with him when we partnered last week, and this second start will reveal whether that early promise can be sustained against tougher competition. A key rival in the race is Isaac Newton, trained by Aidan O’Brien. The colt has a slight edge in experience, having broken his maiden at Goodwood and then finished a credible fourth in the Group 1 Critérium de Saint‑Cloud in the autumn.
Isaac Newton does carry a Derby entry and currently enjoys an official rating of 106, setting a benchmark for the others. Another notable entrant is Poseidon’s Warrior, a Godolphin‑owned colt who, like Wareeth, is making the leap from novice company after a win over the same distance at Goodwood. Poseidon’s Warrior also holds a Derby entry, and all three colts are slated to contest the traditional Derby trial – the Group 2 Dante at York next month – providing a clear path to the classic race.
Beyond the Derby prospects, the Craven meeting offers a variety of intriguing rides. I will be aboard Heather Main’s sprinter Zoulou Chief in the Weatherbys With Venatour Racing Handicap over 1½ miles on Wednesday.
Zoulou Chief has been a busy winter campaigner on all‑weather surfaces, picking up a win around Wolverhampton and then delivering a hard‑fought dead‑heat against the Listed runner Completely Random at Lingfield. Now a five‑year‑old, he carries a few more pounds than his best York win in 2023, but he still looks like a 90‑handicap horse capable of delivering a strong performance. I have also been working with Jane Chapple‑Hyam’s outsider Harlequin Breeze, a daughter of New Bay, who is entered in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes over 3⅜ miles on Wednesday. Though still a maiden after three starts, Harlequin Breeze has shown steady improvement and displayed great determination in her November run, finishing a neck behind William Haggas’s highly regarded Zooming.
The filly’s gritty effort suggests she could be a dark horse in this Betfred 1000 Guineas trial, especially if she continues to progress. Another horse I’ll be watching is Impossible Mission, who must prove his turf credentials after a successful all‑weather campaign. The three‑year‑old, owned by John Butler, won his handicap debut at Wolverhampton under Neil Callan in November but was a bit too keen in his last start. In the National Stud Handicap over 5⅛ miles on Wednesday, he will carry weight from his rivals and will need to demonstrate that his form can translate to grass.
Des Donovan’s debutante Lady Fizz will contest the Molson Coors British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over 1 mile at 4½‑45. The filly, out of a 10‑furlong winning daughter of Golden Horn, faces a strong field from several powerful yards.
While the distance may be a touch short for her ultimate potential, her pedigree suggests she could stretch out in future outings. On Thursday, I will mount Marco Botti’s Shergar Cup winner Prince of India in the Zyn Abernant Stakes over 3 miles. Although it will be my first time riding him on the track, I was impressed by his gallops last year. The powerfully built colt, a son of Wootton Bassett, rebounded credibly in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month and could become a force in summer sprint stakes.
Hawk Mountain also features prominently on my agenda. The Aidan O’Brien‑trained son of Wootton Bassett, a Group 1 Futurity Trophy winner at Doncaster, will start in the Group 3 Betway Craven Stakes over 3⅜ miles at Newmarket on Thursday. I have high expectations for him and would be disappointed if he fails to secure a win, as he could further bolster his Derby credentials. Karl Burke’s Boiling Point returns to turf in the Group 3 Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes over 3 miles on Wednesday.
The Cambridgeshire Handicap winner has benefited from a steady run in the Winter Derby and now has the opportunity to cement his status as a genuine pattern performer this season. Overall, the Craven meeting promises a packed programme of promising horses and intriguing storylines. From Derby hopefuls like Wareeth and Poseidon’s Warrior to seasoned sprinters such as Zoulou Chief and rising fillies like Harlequin Breeze, there is plenty to watch. I look forward to sharing my observations with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft and hope the races deliver the excitement they promise.