Speaking to Simon Mapletoft, Sky Sports Racing’s Hollie Doyle looks ahead to his chances on the All-Weather Finals Day in Newcastle.
They are my great hope in the last day of the stars
Six handicaps on the All-Weather Championships Final Day card in Newcastle on Good Friday – live on Sky Sports Racing – all competing against each other, with £1m in prize money at stake.
Riding a winner will not be an easy task but I am putting all my trust in my French rider Archie Watson Paris Babe in the length of the signs BetMGM Fillies ‘And Mares’ Championship Handicap (2.25).
Winner of seven in the easy, he also won the six-and-a-half-furlong Deauville Handicap at Polytrack for Gavin Hernon back in November and should enjoy a tough test at Gosforth Park on Archie’s debut.
The daughter of Mehmas has been impressing us with her school work after her €32,000 purchase at Arqana Sales, and we couldn’t be happier when she did this. Whatever the outcome, we should learn a lot about him from the beginning of the 91st mark.
Rogue is doing well before three-year-old Dash
Rogue Supremacy he is a colt we haven’t had long at Archie’s Saxon Gate Stables but we are delighted with his progress BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap (1.50).
A smart two-year-old for David O’Meara, he ran very well for us at Lingfield when beaten by two and a half lengths in an important trial at the end of February and ran another solid race at Southwell last month.
He was in good enough form to finish third in the Group Three Sirenia Stakes at Kempton last year but an 8lb gain for that performance made life difficult for him. He’s down 3lb from the 94 mark which we feel can be competitive. Six straight furlongs at Newcastle will suit him, he has great speed and has been doing well at home.
Zyran is an underdog in Classic
David O’Meara has a good record with his French employers and Zyran it’s one he’s done well this winter. The Midnite All-Weather Easter Classic Middle-Distance Handicap (4.10) is his biggest challenge so far but I hope he will take me well.
The five-year-old, who won twice for Francis Graffard, won a Group Three handicap over a course and distance at the end of January and will be happy to be introduced at a strong pace.
Hopefully Barenboim can come up with a course formula
Tom Dascombe did a great job finding it Barenboim back to winning form this winter and I can’t wait to ride him Midnite All-Weather Easter Plate Marathon Handicap (4.42) – a race I won three years ago with my favorite Rainbow Dreamer.
It’s not easy to coax the eight-year-old back into form, but the filly has certainly enjoyed a change of tack, having raced to win the 2m handicap at Kempton Park in January before coming close to Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Sundance at Lingfield.
Of course, he’ll need everything to fall well in such a hot game but he’s in good form at Newcastle and he’s obviously going to the North East on very good terms too, so I’m hoping for a good run.
Encore deep in the final mile
The BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap (3.00) is one of the most interesting races of the day with the likes of Chancellor and Tyrrhenian Sea leading the stakes.
I ride foreigners; Snape Againfor Peter Chapple-Hyam, who will be hoping his gelding can return to the form he showed when winning the place and place last autumn.
He also ran well in a mile trial at Newcastle in January when he was out. This is a big question but Peter will be in good shape after his return from a short break last week.
Amerjeet wants the success he deserves
Headed to Wolverhampton on Saturday night for Michael Herrington’s ride Amerjeet to Founding Member of ACCI WRPA Handicap (8.00).
Michael is enjoying another good winter season and I hope I can work with this team to win in all weathers following a string of good efforts since I joined the coach in December.
He came two laps behind Shala Aasker and Sam’s Hope in time and distance, and is drawn well into the fifth hole to at least be in the money again.
Watson filly can shine in Bath
Archie Watson’s Wathnan Racing is fully loaded Shine On Me set to make his season reappear on the List Whitsbury Manor Stud/British EBF Lansdown Stakes (3.10) Bath on Sunday and should have a chance to lead.
He broke his maiden at Wolverhampton on his last maiden start in October after coming close in the Group Three Longchamp and Listed sprint at Deauville.
I rode a Havana Gray daughter home last week and we’ve been pleased with her performance over the winter so this looks like a good place to start based on the 96 points.
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