Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle bagged a German Group Three in Hamburg last weekend and heads to Newmarket with an excellent set of rides on Thursday.
Big run expected from Waiting All Night
I’m linking up with local trainer Richard Spencer and owner Phil Cunningham in the big race of the day at Newmarket on Thursday, the Group Two Close Brothers July Stakes (2.25) – and I’m expecting a big run from WAITING ALL NIGHT.
He out-ran his massive odds of 150-1 in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, doing all his best work in the closing stages for James Doyle to finish on the heels of some classy horses in fifth.
Hollie Doyle wins the Coventry Stakes on Bradsell at Royal Ascot
I won the race on Bradsell so know first hand how strong that form was. The step up to six furlongs was the making of him as he just found the minimum trip too sharp when I rode him in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown previously.
I’m convinced the trip, more so than the soft ground, was his undoing that day. There’s no doubting his effectiveness on the quick ground we are expecting on Thursday and the climb to the line on the July Course looks tailor-made for the son of Phil’s young stallion and Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe.
It’s a strong renewal with Coventry runner-up Persian Force taking us on again, along with Aidan O’Brien’s Windsor Castle winner Little Big Bear, but the 100-rated Waiting All Night is definitely keeping the kind of company he belongs in right now.
Albany form gives Madonna every chance
A reproduction of her run in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot should be enough to see IVORY MADONNA get off the mark in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (1.20) on the opening day of the July Festival at Newmarket on Thursday.
Richard Spencer’s daughter of Dark Angel gave me a tremendous feel in the fillies’ Group Three last month, finishing a staying on third to Aidan O’Brien’s Meditate over the same trip.
I rode her on the Watered Gallop in Newmarket a while back and can’t see any reason why she won’t handle the undulations on the July Course, which are not dissimilar. She’s actually a very straightforward filly.
Meditate and Ryan Moore on their way to winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot
Knight ready for toughest battle
Archie Watson’s progressive colt TWELFTH KNIGHT is ready for his sternest test so far in the Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap (3.00).
He’s improved with every run this year for owners Hambleton Racing, winning twice on fast ground at Yarmouth and Windsor, so deserves to take his chance in Class Two company over his optimum trip.
Stepping up in grade is a big ask but I’m expecting him to put in a big performance if he handles such an undulating track – that’s something he hasn’t encountered before but I can’t see any reason why he won’t.
You won’t find many horses that are more reliable than Michael Wigham’s COASE, who has only failed to make the frame in one of his 16 starts this year.
I won on him on the All-Weather back in January when he was rated a stone and a half lower, but he’s held his form admirably on turf despite rising through the grades.
Marco Ghiani won a Class Two handicap on him on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in the spring so I’m hopeful he can go well off just a 3lb higher mark with conditions again in his favour in the Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap (4.40).
Officer can pull rank at Ascot
FIRST OFFICER – one of five good chances I’m looking forward to at Ascot on Friday – has a great chance of maintaining his improvement in the Knights Handicap (2.50).
Roger Varian’s son of Galileo got off the mark in the Bibury Cup at Salisbury, beating his two rivals comfortably enough over the same 12-furlong trip.
Although he resumes off a 3lb higher rating, he drops in grade and should enjoy racing in another small field.
Big chance for Godolphin’s Meeting
Another lightly raced type from a top yard who is open to considerable improvement is Godolphin’s BIG MEETING, who goes in search of his hat-trick in the Long Harbour Derek Lucie-Smith Handicap (4.36).
Saeed Bin Suroor’s gelding has won both his starts on the All-Weather this year, including in similar grade at Lingfield Park last month when he looked in need of every yard of this trip.
The stiffer track should be in his favour this time and he’s only up 3lb for that narrow success.
Emperors’ Ripon run looks strong form
EMPEROR SPIRIT is a young sprinter on the up so it’ll be interesting to see how he acquits himself in the Alvarium Handicap (5.11) at Ascot.
There was nothing wrong with his staying on second to smart handicapper Justanotherbottle on his return to turf at Ripon last month. He got within a length of the winner who smashed the track record that day.
I’m also hoping Charlie and Mark Johnston’s Highclere filly FRAGRANCE can prove well handicapped on her nursery debut now she steps up to six furlongs. She was smart enough to win a Catterick maiden before struggling in conditions company last time but 77 looks a workable mark in the Signature Capital Nursery Handicap (2.15).
AL MARMAR returns from a lay-off in the Close Brothers Property Finance Handicap (3.25) with a point to prove after disappointing in the Esher Cup at Sandown back in the spring.
Andrew Balding has had him gelded since then and if that operation has had a positive effect this smart two-year-old still has the credentials to bounce back at three.
German Group success but no luck in Derby
It was exciting to ride a Group Three winner on my first ever visit to Hamburg at the weekend but my luck deserted me in the big race, the German Derby.
I’m convinced I’d have finished much closer than mid-division if Markus Klug’s filly Wagnis hadn’t been wiped out when making her challenge at a crucial stage of the Group One.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft