Our ambassador, jockey Hollie Doyle, offers a preview of a packed Saturday featuring the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Michael Dods is full of confidence about his unbeaten gelding Arapaho Gold, who is aiming to secure a perfect five‑for‑five record in the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (2.12) at Newbury this Saturday. The horse, a striking Gimcrack winner, is described by his Darlington trainer as the best juvenile he has ever handled.
Arapaho Gold boasts the strongest form of the field and has already shown a genuine affinity for the Newbury track and the race distance, having taken the Listed Rose Bowl earlier in the season. Godolphin’s contender Nabati displayed promising progress until a disappointing run in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster last week, where he became unbalanced. Trainer Charlie Appleby is eager to give the colt a quick redemption run at a higher level, hoping to prove his class.
Attention is also on the revitalised Breeders' Cup victor Starlust, who is entered in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (1.02) at Newbury. The horse, owned by Ralph Beckett, captured fame in Del Mar two years ago before an unproductive spell at stud, and has recently produced two strong performances at the top level in the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five in Ireland.
This recent form makes Starlust a genuine threat despite the race being a step down in class. On a more forgiving surface, Arapaho Gold could regain the lead, potentially at the expense of Shagraan, who is making his debut in cheekpieces.
Clive Cox’s gelding finished second in this contest last year and should relish the softer under‑foot conditions that suit his running style. Roaring Legend demonstrated that he still possesses considerable ability when he was narrowly beaten by last weekend’s Mallard winner Valedictory at Newmarket during the summer.
He will be targeting a better result in the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap (1.37) at Newbury. Olly Murphy’s eight‑year‑old, a fresh‑looking horse, is highlighted alongside Alan King’s Insanity. The gelding has been well‑handicapped based on his recent form and remains a contender worth monitoring. Primo Lara, partnered by Ryan Moore, is expected to attract significant market interest, although the race appears tougher than the all‑weather event he won at Kempton earlier this month.
Richard Hannon’s stable holds the key to the Dubai Duty Free Handicap (2.47) at Newbury with the consistent Boyfriend and his stablemate Stem. Boyfriend was somewhat unlucky at Salisbury when the race became congested, but he stayed on strongly and might have finished closer with a clear run.
Stem delivered a solid performance at Sandown previously and has previously won at Newbury, while Jane Chapple‑Hyam’s Balzac, having improved after being gelded, looks like another major player. Never miss a story with the latest racing news, interviews and features on your phone – find out more. Binhareer is a stakes prospect in the making, and expectations are high for his performance in the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup (3.40) at Ayr on Saturday. William Haggas’ grey horse produced a superb run in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newbury in July, maintaining an unchanged rating of 103.
Tom Marquand is eager to ride him again in a handicap context. A proven course and distance winner on easy ground last year, he sits high on my shortlist together with Far Above Dream, who narrowly missed out in a hot handicap at York recently. That form was reinforced when the third‑placed Coul Angel surged at the Curragh last week. At longer odds, Richard Spencer’s Run Boy Run should not be dismissed; he captured this race a year ago at a lower rating and could become dangerous in first‑time blinkers if drawn on the inside in stall 23.
I would love to see Sam England claim the Ladbrokes Ayr Silver Cup Handicap (2.30) aboard the in‑form Trilby, another strong prospect for Tom Marquand. Trilby won convincingly at Beverley before staying on well at Haydock, finishing with a powerful burst, and the quicker the pace, the better for the six‑year‑old, who carries a modest five‑pound penalty. Wathnan Racing’s Deep Havana also carries a penalty but produced a solid win at Thirsk after a long lay‑off and could improve on that effort. Julie Camacho’s Havana Blue is expected to play a leading role after an impressive victory at Ascot.
Stay up‑to‑date with the latest horse racing news, interviews and features from Sky Sports Racing. On a personal note, I’m pleased to report that over the past two weeks I have made significant strides in my recovery from the broken leg I suffered at Bath in May. Initially, progress was slower than hoped; my knee and ankle were not cooperating, which was concerning. However, recent results have been encouraging, marking a satisfying turning point.
A major milestone was returning to the riding simulator a few weeks ago. At first I couldn’t even lift my foot onto the iron, but now I’m able to take meaningful steps toward full riding again.
From the outset, I was determined to preserve my conditioning, knowing that regaining fitness would be faster once I increased my rehabilitation intensity, even though it has been exhausting. My daily routine now includes an hour in the gym at Oaksey House in Lambourn, followed by physiotherapy sessions and work in the hydro‑pool. I have also resumed using the exercise bike, which has been excellent for boosting my cardiovascular fitness.
I am ticking every box, seeing the fruits of my hard work, and remain optimistic that I will be back doing what I love within weeks rather than months. Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.