Sky Sports Racing’s ambassador, jockey Hollie Doyle, reflects on her six mounts at Newmarket on Saturday and offers a preview of the weekend’s Classic races, as well as a detailed look at the trial meeting at Ascot on Friday. Among the six rides she has lined up for Betfred’s 2000 Guineas Day, Doyle will partner an intriguing filly from Archie Watson’s stable in the Listed Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes. The filly, Paris Babe, starts at a very light weight of 1.10 and has already shown promise in her debut at the Fillies’ and Mares’ Championships Final at Newcastle on Good Friday, where she travelled strongly before being caught late in the finish. Paris Babe previously won a Group race in France under trainer Gavin Hernon, and the step back to six furlongs should suit her.
With the sun finally breaking through, she looks healthy and her coat is glossy. Although she carries a rating of 89 and still needs to improve, Doyle believes she can produce another respectable performance. The overall field for the day is considerably stronger than last year.
Group winner Flora Of Bermuda tops the ratings at 111, while proven Pattern performer Rosy Affair also makes a seasonal comeback, adding depth to the contest. In the Class Two Betfred Handicap, Doyle rides El Bodon, a long‑shot at 1.45. Despite the odds, El Bodon is a classy runner with a solid turf résumé, including a second‑place finish in the Greenham Stakes as a three‑year‑old for Doyle’s husband, Tom Marquand. His most recent effort in the Sprint Final at Newcastle was below his best, but he has shown his quality with back‑to‑back wins at Kempton over the winter for trainer Jane Chapple‑Hyam.
The horse that many will have to beat is Andrew Balding’s Double Rush, the likely favourite. Doyle first noticed him at Newmarket’s Craven Meeting, where he displayed the speed and stamina of a future Group sprinter. Even with a five‑pound penalty, he remains well‑handicapped, making him a key contender. Another noteworthy entry is Military Academy in the Boodles Handicap (4.45).
The colt, who was a smart performer for John and Thady Gosden last season, has continued to improve under Jane Chapple‑Hyam, most recently finishing a close third in the Winter Derby. Doyle hopes the forecast soft ground will suit him, as his best performances have come on yielding or heavy going, and a slight weight advantage could help him finish strongly. Eve Johnson Houghton’s Kesta begins his campaign in the Turners Handicap (4.10).
Although Doyle has never ridden him, Kesta won three times last season, including a victory at Nottingham in early October at this level. His first start since the end of October will reveal his sharpness, but his versatility on different ground types gives Doyle confidence of a solid run. Advancing, a big, well‑built horse who struggled with the tight turns at Wolverhampton last month, is entered in the National Stud Handicap (5.55). Doyle recalls a pleasing ride on him at Kempton, where he showed the ability to settle and sustain a galloping pace over a mile.
Trainer Marco Botti’s charge possesses the stamina to stay the distance, and the conditions at Newmarket should be more favorable. Charlie Johnston’s Thunder Wonder runs in the Betfred Suffolk Stakes (2.20) at a low weight after a promising run at Musselburgh earlier in the month – his second start since being gelded. He proved his class over nine furlongs at Edinburgh last summer with a rating of 92, and if he can replicate that form, he will be a serious threat.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s Betfred 2000 Guineas, Doyle predicts another triumph for Aidan O’Brien, this time with Gstaad. The colt, a son of Starspangledbanner, has a wealth of experience, having finished second in the Dewhurst Stakes last autumn and then stepping up to claim the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
Although he heads to the Guineas without a recent run, his proven ability on the Rowley Mile and his staying power make him a strong candidate for O’Brien’s eleventh classic win. At longer odds, John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon could repeat his Craven Stakes success with a big performance, while Doyle hopes her husband Tom can extract a good run from William Haggas’s promising four‑year‑old, Needle Match, after a solid fourth in the Greenham. On Sunday, the Betfred 1000 Guineas (3.35) may boil down to a duel between Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun and Ballydoyle’s filly True Love. Venetian Sun has been training on the racecourse and possesses the speed required for the classic, whereas True Love, a Queen Mary winner, impressed Doyle with a dominant seven‑furlong victory at Leopardstown, suggesting she can stay the mile.
Turning to the Royal Ascot Trials Day on Friday, the Group Three Longines Sagaro Stakes (2.35) offers a springboard for Tom Clover’s stayer Tabletalk. The colt finished a creditable second in the Group Two Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh earlier in the year and could improve enough to challenge seasoned rivals such as Sweet William and Group One star Caballo De Mar.
Doyle also has an eye on Clive Cox’s colt Coppull in the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial (3.10). Coppull was a close runner‑up to the favourite Wise Approach in the Middle Park Stakes last year, losing by less than a length.
With Rossa Ryan aboard, Doyle believes the colt can develop into a top‑class sprinter over the summer. For the latest sports news, video highlights, in‑depth analysis and more, follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp. Godolphin’s Wise Approach continues to set a high benchmark after a Group One breakthrough at Newmarket, and Doyle expects him to confirm that form against Aidan O’Brien’s reliable Brussels.
Elsewhere, the form of Remmooz in the Listed Membership At Ascot Paradise Stakes (3.45) intrigues Doyle. The four‑year‑old, trained by Owen Burrows, captured a Listed win at Newbury in September and was backed up by a strong runner‑up performance by Volterra in the Doncaster Mile. As a son of Blue Point, his progress will be watched closely.
In summary, Doyle’s six rides span a range of distances, ground conditions and class levels, offering plenty of intrigue for the Guineas weekend and the Ascot trials. Her insights, drawn from personal experience and close observation of each horse’s preparation, provide a valuable guide for punters and racing fans alike.