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Albasheer (right) Picture: Sky Sports Racing
After Group 1 glory on Bradsell, Hollie heads to Newbury for six Saturday rides including old favourite Albasheer in the World Trophy
ALBASHEER REROUTES FOR GROUP GLORY
Fresh from his narrow defeat in last weekend’s Portland Handicap at Doncaster, ALBASHEER swerves the Ayr Gold Cup to step up to Group 3 company in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (1.30) at Newbury on Saturday – live in Sky Sports Racing.
Archie Watson’s gelding has had a busy campaign but seems to be holding his form well, getting beaten by a pixel in the Listed Beverley Bullet before going down just half a length in a four-way drive to the line on Leger day.
Another double-figure field should ensure we get plenty of cover in this 5f dash, and I’m hoping he can put in another big finish and gain a deserved breakthrough win at Pattern level.
GOLDEN CHANCE FOR WARD FILLY
I enjoyed riding OUR GOLDEN ONE in a Goodwood handicap last month and am hoping we can go one better in the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap (2.05) at Newbury.
Tom Ward’s filly stayed on well enough over 12f to suggest she will appreciate the extra distance on this galloping track off just a 2lb higher rating.
However, Our Golden One, who won on soft ground at Doncaster for me back in the spring, is ground dependent, so any rain we get in Berkshire overnight will be welcome.
WOODSTOCK OUT FOR COURSE HAT-TRICK
WOODSTOCK likes Newbury – he’s a dual course-and-distance winner – so I’m expecting to be competitive in the 7f Conundrum Consulting Handicap (5.00) later on Saturday’s card.
Ruth Carr’s four-year-old, who began his racing career with the Channons, scored here for Jo Mason back in July and repeated the feat for Hector Crouch last month.
He’s racing off a 5lb higher mark in search of a course hat-trick and so needs to take another step forward, but he looks well enough drawn in stall 13.
HOUSTONN BACK TO SCENE OF CLOSE SECOND
HOUSTONN needs to get back on track if he is to have a chance in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap (2.40) after struggling in a hot handicap at Ascot last time, but Richard Hannon’s gelding was a close second over this 10f last month and returns off a similar mark.
A little later, I ride Dominic Ffrench Davis’s colt TEQUILA STAR in the Etcetera Construction 40th Anniversary EBF Novice Stakes (3.50). He was well held in a 7f maiden at Sandown on debut but will hopefully progress for the experience.
It’ll be interesting to see if THORNTONLEDALE MAX can translate his winning All-Weather form to turf in the closing Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Handicap (5.35). This certainly looks competitive, but David Simcock’s gelding remains open to improvement after only five career starts.
TOM HAS GREAT CHANCE IN MILL REEF
My husband Tom (Marquand) has a great chance in the feature race at Newbury, the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (3.15), aboard Symbol Of Strength.
He won the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park two weeks ago on Adrian Keatley’s colt, who also ran a cracker to finish third in the Gimcrack previously.
Richard Fahey must think a lot of his Powerful Glory to be fast-tracking him into this grade after only one start – an effortless success over 6f at Pontefract – and I can see him proving well up to the task too.
OPTIONS OPEN FOR BRILLIANT BRADSELL
Tom and I had a weekend to remember in Ireland, winning three Group races between us. I was thrilled to see him complete the Irish Champion-Matron Stakes double on Economics and Porta Fortuna, before I followed in with the remarkable Bradsell some 24 hours later.
It was another amazing performance from Archie Watson’s star, who felt every bit as good as he did when winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month. The stiffer track was the only question mark, but he travelled like a dream and never looked like being beaten in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.
Options are open now, with the Prix de l’Abbaye in France next month and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar in California both under serious consideration.
DEEPLY UPSET BY LOSS OF OUTBOX
By contrast, I was deeply upset by the loss of the globetrotting Outbox in Sweden last weekend. Archie Watson’s nine-year-old was fatally injured in the Group 3 Stockholm Cup at Bro Park – a race in which he’d finished second in the three previous runnings.
He took his proud owners Hambleton Racing all around the world, winning a big pot in Doha in 2022. That was one of five successes I enjoyed on him, but his dominance in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket back in May was my stand-out memory.
Outbox won eight races and over £775,000 in his distinguished career and will be missed by everyone at Archie Watson’s Saxon Gate stables.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.