Hollie Doyle won first Group One on Glen Shiel at Ascot last October; Trueshan gives dual-purpose trainer Alan King his first Group One winner on the flat; Doyle rides treble at Goodwood with Lord Riddiford and Sisters In The Sky
Wednesday 28 July 2021 11:54, UK
Hollie Doyle enjoyed a Glorious Goodwood treble and a second career Group One success as she powered Alan King's Trueshan to a decisive victory in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
A runaway winner on Champions Day at Ascot in October, the five-year-old made a promising start to the current campaign when runner-up to Japan at Chester in May before missing an intended appearance in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot due to unsuitable ground.
Trueshan instead contest the following week's Northumberland Plate, where he was far from disgraced in finishing sixth under a huge weight, and everything fell perfectly into place for him on the Sussex Downs.
With the rain-softened ground leading to the withdrawal of four-time Goodwood Cup hero Stradivarius, King's charge was the 6-5 favourite to provide his multiple Grade One-winning trainer with a first top-level success on the Flat.
Trueshan raced keenly for much of the two-mile journey, but moved to the lead early in the home straight and saw off the brave effort of the largely-unconsidered 33-1 shot Away He Goes by just under four lengths.
Doyle then rode Lord Riddiford and Sisters In The Sky to victory in consecutive races as she completed a remarkable treble from her only three runners on the day.
Lord Riddiford, who Doyle had never ridden in a race before, sprinted clear to win the Back to Goodwood Handicap by two-and-a-half lengths in front of El Astronaute, giving trainer John Quinn a one-two.
Roger Teal's Sisters In The Sky won at the third attempt, having finished third and fifth at Newbury and Chester. The 13-2 shot was given a marvellous ride from the Sky Sports Racing ambassador to beat Richard Hannon's Monet's Sunrise by a length in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.
Doyle was full of praise for Trueshan. She told ITV: "He's a superstar on this ground. I thought we were going very quick early on - he was quite free actually.
"He can be [like that], but I just thought I'd let him slide on to get off the lead and drop the bridle on me.
"[Then] the further I went, the better. He's hit that rising ground and found another gear.
"It's incredible. He's been in my mind every day since Champions Day [winner of the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last year], when we could get back together - these are the days you do it for."
