Hollie Doyle is gearing up for a packed Saturday at the races, and she shares all the details in her latest exclusive blog post. Her trainer, Archie Watson, has dispatched two promising youngsters from his Lambourn yard to Thirsk for Saturday’s fixtures, and Doyle will be making the journey north to mount them. The first of those runners is a two‑year‑old filly named NIEWIADOMA, a beautiful daughter of the sire Cotai Glory. She will be making her long‑awaited debut in the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes over 1 mile 3 furlongs.
Doyle has had several gallops on the filly in preparation for her maiden day and is delighted with what she sees: a £40,000 yearling blessed with natural speed and a genuinely pleasant temperament. Her five rivals are all maiden horses who have never set foot on a racecourse before, which adds an extra layer of intrigue. One of those rivals is Karl Burke’s Blue Point‑bred daughter, Bai Tong, who fetched a relatively high price of 125,000 guineas at auction. The field is therefore a true school‑yard affair, and Doyle is keen to see how the youngsters settle.
The second runner is MERLIER, a sprinter who has shown steady improvement on the all‑weather surfaces. Doyle is looking forward to a return to the Stirrup Bar For Deli‑Style Dining Packages Handicap over 5 furlongs.
MERLIER previously claimed a five‑furlong maiden victory at Newcastle for jockey Luke Morris, and then followed up with a penalty win over the same distance at Wolverhampton, earning an opening rating of 85 – a figure that Doyle feels accurately reflects his ability. Beyond her own mounts, Doyle highlights the headline clash at Newbury’s Greenham Stakes, where Zavateri and Albert Einstein will meet in a classic‑style showdown. She notes the Newbury tipster’s confidence that Zavateri is the horse to watch in the contest. She also points readers to the opening of the Spring Trials weekend at Newbury, the Craven Stakes win by Oxagon for the in‑form Gosden stable, and Azleet’s surprise 50‑1 triumph in the Nell Gwyn Stakes that has thrust her into 1000 Guineas conversation.
Doyle’s blog further mentions her curiosity about the Derby hopeful Wareeth after his performance in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, encouraging fans to stay tuned for the latest racing news, interviews and feature stories on their mobile devices. Riding a handicap for the first time presents a different challenge, especially as MERLIER will be facing proven sprinters and tackling turf for the first time. Nonetheless, Doyle is confident that the good ground at Thirsk will suit him and is pleased with her inside draw from stall five.
She also anticipates a strong showing from WARM SPELL in the Join Racing TV Today Handicap over 3½ furlongs. Although his rating has been trimmed to a career‑low, his recent form suggests he can be competitive in a division‑one contest.
WARM SPELL has produced respectable placings in defeat for trainer Mark Loughnane, after being heavily campaigned by former trainer Roger Varian. Doyle’s husband, Tom Marquand, rode the gelding to a Listed victory as a two‑year‑old, beating the future Group‑class performer Dancing Gemini.
Recent efforts over seven furlongs at Sandown and Kempton Park last autumn, combined with a close second in his last season’s return, indicate that he can stay fresh and travel well. Veteran northern trainer Wilf Storey, who was a steadfast supporter when Doyle was an apprentice a decade ago, will be represented by the mare IDYLLIC in the Happy 21st Birthday Lily Watkinson Handicap over 4½ furlongs.
IDYLLIC won at Thirsk last summer at a similar rating and should thrive under comparable conditions. Mark Walford, fresh from a three‑day flat treble at Ripon, will have his new recruit SOLAR BIRICZ in the Nick Simpson Cannot Be 60 Handicap over 2½ furlongs. The gelding captured a five‑furlong handicap at Doncaster last summer for trainer Brian Ellison and will stretch out to six furlongs for the first time, offering Walford and his team valuable insight into his stamina.
Doyle also expresses hope that trainer‑owner duo Eve Johnson Houghton and Charlie Bishop can keep their Classic ambitions alive with ZAVATERI, a Betfred 2000 Guineas prospect, in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury, broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Their colt Without Parole, a former National Stakes Group 1 winner in Ireland, set the benchmark. Although he appeared slightly uncomfortable on Newmarket’s undulating track in the Dewhurst, his stablemate Oxagon confirmed the form by winning the Craven Stakes.
Albert Einstein’s recent Listed outing at the Curragh was underwhelming, yet trainer Aidan O’Brien has chosen to give him another run over seven furlongs, despite hints that he may be aimed at the summer sprint program. The Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes – better known as the Fred Darling – at Newbury on Saturday looks wide open, with several fillies of comparable ability contesting the race. Shadwell’s TOULEEN, who fell short in the Rockfel last autumn, is believed to have improved and could be a serious contender in this traditional Classic trial – a race Doyle herself won on a 33‑1 outsider, Duty First, twelve months ago.
Owen Burrows’ filly, who debuted on a flatter surface, should also be in the mix, though she may face stiff competition from Richard and Peter Fahey’s Catching The Moon, a proven performer at Ayr with Ryan Moore aboard. Young trainer Jack Channon could add another feather to his cap if URBAN LION, after his Lincoln win, can capture the Spring Cup Handicap at Newbury. Doyle notes that Rogue Diplomat was held by the narrowest of margins on Town Moor, and while another close finish is likely, she believes the horse still has room for improvement, which could bring trainer Eddie Greatrex another notable victory. She also expects Simon and Ed Crisford’s Shout to improve on its Doncaster effort, especially with champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the saddle.
Finally, Doyle looks forward to seeing veteran Al AASY contest the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (John Porter) for trainer Tom Marquand and William Haggas. The nine‑year‑old is a true fan favourite at the track and could give Karl Burke’s favorite Convergent a run for his money. In closing, Doyle reflects on her conversation with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft, summarising the excitement that lies ahead for her and the horses she will ride this weekend.