Hollie Doyle has offered her insights on upcoming races, including the Northumberland Plate and the Irish Derby, while also providing an update on her recovery from injury. Her selections for the weekend’s action at Newcastle and Chester feature prominently, alongside horses she is following in Ireland.
Doyle is continuing her rehabilitation at Oaksey House in Lambourn following a broken left leg. Her focus has been on reducing swelling in her foot, a process she notes is challenging in warm weather. The boot she was previously fitted with has been removed to aid healing, and physiotherapy sessions are helping to improve ankle flexion. She is also engaging in daily gym workouts that avoid strain on her left leg, indicating that progress is being made, though she has no specific timeline for her return.
Northumberland Plate Prospects
For the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, Doyle expects Roger Varian’s stayer Ride The Thunder to perform well. She highlights his recent reappearance at Hamilton, his first run since being gelded, as a factor that suggests he is open to improvement. Drawn in stall seven, Ride The Thunder is considered to have an attractive mark for the race.
Another contender mentioned is Dancing In Paris, trained by Ian Williams, who is aiming to improve on his second-place finish in the same race a year ago. He has a low draw and is expected to be fitter after a recent run at Epsom. Alan King’s mare, Blazeon Five, is also noted as a potential strong performer under Callum Rodriguez, especially given her effectiveness on the All-Weather and an encouraging last race at Newbury.
In the Jenningsbet Festival Northumberland Vase Handicap, the consolation race for the Plate, Alan King also has a strong chance with Believitanducan. This five-year-old has secured back-to-back wins at Ascot and Chester and has performed well on the All-Weather at Kempton Park. William Buick is set to ride. Andrew Balding’s Shrimp Shady is identified as a danger, having run well in valuable handicaps on turf and demonstrating stamina in a win at Chester Plate, though he carries a significant weight.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Doidge has selected Team Player for the Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate Handicap. Trained by Ewan Whillans, Team Player will run with cheekpieces and a tongue-tie for the first time. Despite a less-than-smooth run in the Chester Cup last month, finishing fifth, he is a course and distance winner and has shown improvement since joining his current trainer. He remains on a mark of 92, suggesting he is well-treated.
Other Key Races
In the Group Three Jenningsbet Chipchase Stakes, Diligent Harry is expected to add to his record on the All-Weather. The Clive Cox-trained gelding, despite being eight years old, has shown no signs of slowing down, securing two Listed wins over the winter and a close fourth in the Group Two Minster Stakes at York in May. Andrew Balding’s Marvelman, who won last season’s Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster, is also a strong contender, having a perfect record on the All-Weather.
At Chester, Richard Hannon’s Circe is presented with an opportunity to achieve a second consecutive Listed success in the Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes. The mare, who won at Musselburgh after a six-month break, is well-drawn in stall one and will be ridden by Sean Levey. George Scott’s Forty Years On is also noted, having performed well at Newbury, but needs to improve further for this higher-grade race and adapt to a turning track.
The Group One Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh features Joseph O’Brien’s Oaks heroine Thundering On, setting a high standard. However, David O’Meara’s Estrange, a grey mare seeking her first top-level win after two Group One second-place finishes last season, could benefit from any forecast rain. Ed Walker’s Qilin Queen, a filly with a Listed win at Newbury and a Group Two in France, is also an outsider to watch.
Finally, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh on Sunday will see Benvenuto Cellini return to action after being declared a non-runner at Epsom. Aidan O’Brien has shown faith in the colt. Joseph O’Brien’s James J Braddock, who finished third at Epsom despite pre-race difficulties, is expected to perform well over a mile and a half on this track.
York Selections
For the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Mile Handicap at York, Zennor Storm is highlighted as a promising contender. Trained by William Haggas, this gelded son of Mohaather has won both his All-Weather starts as a juvenile. Despite two less successful runs this season at Newmarket and Newbury, he has since been gelded, which is expected to help him refocus and improve. A stronger pace in this race is also anticipated to suit his strengths.
In the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap, Schrodinger’s Cat is considered a strong each-way chance. He recently won a 0-85 race at Redcar, pulling clear of the field. Despite an 8lb increase in weight, he is seen as still improving and is drawn against the far rail, a position often advantageous for sprinters at York. The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sprint Handicap sees Invincible Boy as a selection. Trained by the Faheys, this three-year-old colt showed promise on his debut last October over the course and distance. He bounced back from a less favourable run at Doncaster to win at Pontefract, and his initial handicap mark of 82 is considered fair, with potential for further improvement.
The Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate is scheduled for 3:15 PM.
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Source: skysports.com
Freya Donnelly is the Sports Reporter at News-UK, covering tennis, cricket and athletics with seven years of reporting experience. She reported on Team GB through an Olympic cycle. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Brighton and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Brighton, she plays club cricket in the summer. “Listening is the most underrated skill in sports reporting.”
