By Emma Berry
James Doyle has only recently returned from a four-month stint in Australia, where he rode more than 20 winners for Godolphin, and from wondering what might be in store on his homecoming he's now pinching himself at the thought of two fancied rides in the Newmarket Classics next weekend.
The jockey, who was stood down as retained rider to Saeed Bin Suroor last year, got the upper hand over that stable's runner Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when producing Barney Roy (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) with a strong late challenge to win the G3 Greenham S. on Saturday for Richard Hannon. He is set to keep the ride on the colt, who was bought by Godolphin after his impressive maiden victory, when he lines up for the G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas.
“From not quite knowing what I'd be picking up to suddenly having two plum rides in both Guineas, it's very exciting,” Doyle said in Newmarket on Tuesday.
“There was definitely a bit of brilliance about him on Saturday and he's crying out for the extra furlong next week. I think he'll be much sharper come Guineas day. He'll jump more alertly and travel more strongly.”
Further good cheer has come the jockey's way with a renewal of his ties with Khalid Abdullah, to whom he was previously retained, and Roger Charlton. The trainer has a decent QIPCO 1,000 Guineas contender in Juddmonte's Fair Eva (GB), who became Frankel's first Group winner in the G3 Princess Margaret Juddmonte S. last year.
“It's very nice to get the call up for Fair Eva from Roger Charlton, I'm very excited about that,” said Doyle, who partnered Juddmonte's Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) to four Group 1 wins in 2014 but narrowly missed out on victory in the 2,000 Guineas when second to Night Of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
“I sat on her the other day and she felt great galloping over seven furlongs,” he added. “The further she went, the better she felt. To go for the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas with two live chances is what we all do it for.”
Roger Charlton gave the jockey his vote of confidence, saying, “It's great to have James back. He rode a winner for me at Kempton on Monday. I think [Fair Eva] has an excellent chance of finishing in the first four as she's already a Group 3 winner and Group 2-placed–she justifies her place. I'm not going to say she'll win the Guineas, because that would be stupid to say. She's where we want her to be but it's a tough old race, as Classics should be.”
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