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 two‑year‑olds from his Lambourn yard to Thirsk for Saturday’s fixtures, and Doyle will be making the journey north to mount them. The first of the pair, a filly named NIEWIADOMA, is a daughter of Cotai Glory and will be making her long‑awaited debut in the British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes over 1 mile 3 furlongs. The youngster, bought for £40,000 as a yearling, has shown plenty of natural speed in training and possesses a bright, eager temperament that makes her a joy to ride.
Doyle has worked her several times in preparation for this maiden start and is thrilled with the progress she has displayed. Her five opponents are all making their first appearance on a racecourse as well, which adds an extra layer of intrigue.
Among them is Karl Burke’s filly, a progeny of Blue Point named Bai Tong, who fetched a respectable 125,000 guineas at auction. With a field of newcomers, it will be a true test of raw ability and composure. The second horse on Doyle’s agenda is MERLIER, a sprinter who has been steadily improving on all‑weather surfaces. He will contest the Stirrup Bar For Deli‑Style Dining Packages Handicap over 5 furlongs.
MERLIER earned his first win in a five‑furlong maiden at Newcastle under Luke Morris, and then followed up with a penalty win at Wolverhampton, which gave him an opening rating of 85 – a figure that seems entirely justified given his displayed talent. Beyond the Thirsk action, the weekend is packed with high‑profile fixtures.
Sky Sports Racing will broadcast the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, where Zavateri and Albert Einstein will clash in a classic‑style showdown. The Newbury tipsters have already marked Zavateri as the horse to watch in the Greenham, and Doyle hopes that the race will live up to the hype.
The Spring Trials weekend at Newbury also promises excitement, with the Craven Stakes at Newmarket already delivering a victory for Oxagon, a member of the in‑form Gosden stable. Meanwhile, Azleet has vaulted into the 1000 Guineas conversation after a stunning 50‑1 upset in the Nell Gwyn Stakes.
Doyle notes that stepping into a handicap for the first time presents a different set of challenges. MERLIER will be facing seasoned sprinters and will be tackling turf for the first time, but the good ground at Thirsk should suit him, and she is comfortable with a middle draw from stall five.
She also mentions a career‑low rating for her other mount, WARM SPELL, who will contest the Join Racing TV Today Handicap over 3 furlongs and 58 yards. Warm Spell has run creditably for Mark Loughnane since being transferred from former trainer Roger Varian, and even as a two‑year‑old he was ridden by her husband Tom (Marquand) in a Listed win against the high‑class Dancing Gemini.
Warm Spell’s recent form includes respectable placings over seven furlongs at Sandown and Kempton Park last autumn, which earned him a place in this season‑opening run over his preferred distance. His close second in his last start demonstrates that he can still produce a strong finish when fresh.
Veteran northern trainer Wilf Storey, a steadfast supporter of Doyle when she was an apprentice a decade ago, will also be represented on the Thirsk card. Doyle will be riding IDYLLIC, a mare who claimed a victory at Thirsk over a similar rating last summer, in the Happy 21st Birthday Lily Watkinson Handicap over 4 furlongs and 32 yards.
The mare should relish the familiar conditions and the chance to add another win to her record. In another entry, Mark Walford’s recent success at Ripon, where he completed a first‑ever flat treble, bodes well for his new recruit SOLAR BIRICZ in the Nick Simpson Cannot Be 60 Handicap over 2 furlongs and 47 yards. The gelding, who won a five‑furlong handicap at Doncaster for Brian Ellison last summer, will be stretched out to six furlongs for the first time, offering Walford and his team valuable insight into his stamina.
Doyle also expresses her support for the classic‑ambitious connections of Eve Johnson Houghton and Charlie Bishop, who have entered ZAVATERI in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury. The colt, a son of Without Parole, capped an impressive juvenile campaign with a Group 1 National Stakes win in Ireland. Although he appeared slightly uncomfortable on the undulating Newmarket surface in his final start, his form was backed up by Oxagon, who turned the Dewhurst defeat into a Craven victory.
Albert Einstein, who returned to a Listed race at the Curragh three weeks ago with a lackluster performance, will be given another chance over seven furlongs, despite trainer Aidan O’Brien’s suggestion that he may be aimed at the sprint distances later in the season. The Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes, commonly known as the Fred Darling, at Newbury will also be a focal point. Several fillies, including Shadwell’s TOULEEN, are expected to challenge for the prize.
Doyle believes T OULEEN has improved since a sub‑par showing in the Rockfel last autumn and could be a serious contender in this classic trial, a race she herself won on a 33‑1 outsider named Duty First twelve months ago. Owen Burrows’ filly, who won on her debut at this flatter track, should also perform well, though she may face stiff competition from Richard and Peter Fahey’s Catching The Moon, a proven Group performer at Ayr, now partnered with Ryan Moore. Young trainer Jack Channon could make headlines if his colt URBAN LION adds a Spring Cup Handicap win at Newbury to his recent Lincoln triumph.
The colt has shown promise and could further cement Channon’s rising reputation. Doyle also highlights the potential of Rogue Diplomat, who narrowly held on at Town Moor, suggesting that the horse still has room for improvement and could deliver a notable performance for trainer Eddie Greatrex. Simon and Ed Crisford’s Shout, who ran admirably at Doncaster, may also be better placed this time, especially with champion jockey Oisin Murphy aboard.
Finally, Doyle looks forward to seeing veteran nine‑year‑old Al AASY contest the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (John Porter) at Newbury for trainer Tom (Marquand) and William Haggas. The seasoned horse loves the Newbury track and could give Karl Burke’s favorite Convergent a run for his money. All of these stories, insights, and race previews were shared by Hollie Doyle during her conversation with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.