Cazoo St Leger: Hollie Doyle 'beyond excited' for Doncaster Classic debut on Aidan O'Brien's Interpretation
Hollie Doyle booked to ride Aidan O'Brien's Interpretation in St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday, the final English Classic of the season; Frankie Dettori on board High Definition; watch Cazoo St Leger live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday at 3.35pm
Friday 10 September 2021 17:53, UK
Saturday is a big day for Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle who looks forward to her first ever ride in the St Leger at Doncaster, when she partners Aidan O’Brien’s progressive colt Interpretation.
First Leger ride has strong credentials
I'm beyond excited to have my first ride in the world's oldest Classic, the Cazoo St Leger (3.35) at Doncaster on Saturday, and to get the call up for one of Aidan O'Brien's four runners makes it even more of a thrill.
My third ride for Aidan, INTERPRETATION brings all the right credentials to the race. He's unbeaten in three starts this season and is guaranteed to stay the extended one-mile-and-six-furlongs.
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He only re-appeared at the end of June, winning a Curragh maiden before stepping up in trip to land a Leopardstown conditions race, but it was his pillar-to-post win in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes over a similar trip to this at the Dublin track that convinced the team at Ballydoyle to go for the Leger.
Aidan knows exactly what it takes to win a Leger - he's done it six times before - and has brought this son of Galileo along patiently with this race in mind. Of course, this is a big step up in class but he's improving at the right time.
Aidan also runs High Definition, a big strapping colt who promises to enjoy the big galloping test at Town Moor and should give Frankie Dettori a great ride with the cheekpieces on for the first time. He's always threatened to make an impact at this level so it wouldn't be a surprise if he came good over this longer trip.
The form horse of the race is clearly Godolphin's Hurricane Lane, who hasn't put a foot wrong since finishing a slightly unlucky third in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom. He finished strongly to claim trailblazer Lone Eagle in the Irish version and looked better than ever in the Group One Grand Prix de Paris in July.
The rain that fell at Doncaster yesterday would have been a welcome sight for his trainer Charlie Appleby but the son of Frankel must still prove his stamina, having never raced beyond one-mile-and-four-furlongs.
Beach can put Town Moor rivals to the swords
SWORD BEACH can be a bit of a monkey but has claims in the penultimate race of the Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster, the one-mile-and-four-furlong Hippo Pro 3 Handicap (4.05).
Eve Johnston Houghton's four-year-old has been a different horse since being stepped up in trip in blinkers in mid-summer, winning back-to-back handicaps over a similar distance at Windsor.
He likes to be handy and won't mind the ground if Friday's rain gets in, as he proved when he finished second for me in soft conditions at Sandown back in May, but does need a career best off a mark some 5lb higher than the one he won off last month.
Hoping headgear gives Desert the edge
My old boss Richard Hannon is going great guns and reaches for the blinkers for DESERT ANGEL in the opening Vertem Nursery Handicap (1.15) at Doncaster.
They will need to have a positive effect, as he struggled to make any impact in a hot nursery at York's Ebor Festival. The step up to one mile could also help him get back to the sort of promise he showed in two runs at Newmarket.
Later, I team up with North East trainer Tracy Waggott in the Portland Handicap (1.45). I'm drawn right in the middle in this traditional five-and-a-half-furlong cavalry charge on KIND REVIEW so should be able to get a nice tow in to the race.
The five-year-old is a Newcastle specialist but did win over five furlongs at Redcar in May and will be nice and fresh following a summer break.
Thrilled with Rhythmic in Mallard
I had a strong feeling that RHYTHMIC INTENT would run a big race in the racehorselotto.com Mallard Handicap at Doncaster on Friday and he certainly didn't let me down.
He gave me a nice feel when I rode him at York on his previous start and was always going to enjoy stepping up to the Leger trip.
Stuart Williams told me I could make the running but I was happy to take a lead when a couple of the others went on. He actually hung right which prevented me from getting the cover I wanted but he settled so well and ran strongly to the line.
The storm that hit just before the race was also in his favour but sadly it came too late for my Doncaster Cup hope Trueshan, who was taken out of the race in the morning due to the 'firm' in the going description. There'll be another big day for him - possibly in the Group One Prix du Cadran in France next month.
