Hollie Doyle's exclusive blog: Trailblazing jockey backs Action for Futurity Trophy glory at Doncaster
Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle heads from Ireland to Germany this weekend and looks forward to her chances in her latest blog; The trailblazing jockey also gives her view on the Futurity Trophy from Doncaster.
Friday 24 October 2025 12:04, UK
Hollie rides Spartan Arrow in a Group 3 at Dundalk on Friday evening before flying to Germany on Saturday to partner Shartash in a Listed contest at Munich.
Draw not ideal for speedy Spartan
The speedy Spartan Arrow is back in the Group 3 Bar One Racing Mercury Stakes (7.15pm) at Dundalk on Friday evening, but he will have to overcome a wide draw if he is to win for the first time at this level.
Archie Watson's gelding faces 13 rivals in the five-furlong dash, including George Scott's talented three-year-old West Acre and Johnny Murtagh's recent course-and-distance second Songhai.
Pitched out in stall 13 isn't ideal but this five-year-old has a lot in his favour, including winning form on the All-Weather and a Listed success at Chantilly in June. He got bogged down in testing ground in Group races at the Goodwood Festival and in ParisLongchamp either side of the Nunthorpe at York in August, which he found a little too hot.
I said after his win in France that he was the fastest horse I'd ridden, with the exception of the mighty Bradsell, so if he gets the chance to hit top gear at the right point of the race, we might come away with a favourable result.
Shartash on Listed mission in Germany
I head from Ireland to Germany on Saturday to partner my boss Archie Watson's Shartash in the LOTTO Bayern Grand Prix (3.00) over six and a half furlongs at Munich.
It's a good opportunity to add another Listed win to my CV on Wathnan Racing's five-year-old, who is out to follow up his successful mission to Dusseldorf for a similar race earlier this month.
He won readily for Luke Morris over slightly further that day and Archie appears to have found him another winning chance, even though we're faced with another high draw in stall 12 in what looks a slightly deeper race.
I've ridden at Munich before and can tell you that it's a nice big, galloping track, so hopefully we'll get plenty of time to work our way into a challenging position.
Shartash is lightly raced this year. Archie gave him a break after his below-par run in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and it certainly did the trick on his first foray to Germany, so I'm hoping for the best.
Ready for Action in Doncaster showpiece
Aidan O'Brien appears to have a firm grip on the final Group 1 of the Flat season in the William Hill Futurity Trophy (2.05pm) at Doncaster on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Racing - with the three market leaders headed by Benvenuto Cellini.
He was visually very impressive when winning the Group 2 Champion Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown by five lengths last month, but I question just how strong that form will prove to be.
Stable-companion Action appeals to me more after his third in the Group 2 Royal Lodge at Newmarket. The form of his maiden win has also worked out well, with Aidan's third, Christmas Day, winning a Group 3 last weekend.
Waltz can dance to Listed victory
Karl Burke's Lam Yai looks a worthy favourite in the Listed William Hill Prospect Stakes (2.40pm) at Doncaster after going so close in Group company at Ayr last month.
However, I prefer Ralph Beckett's lightly-raced colt Spanish Waltz, who heads to Town Moor - for what is better known as the Doncaster Stakes - on the back of a maiden win at Pontefract a month ago.
This is a big step up in grade, but he's learning on the job, he shouldn't have any issue with what will be testing ground, and he looks the most progressive horse in the field.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing's Simon Mapletoft...
