Jockey James Doyle was all power in the saddle to guide Al Agaila home in front in the Lingfield Winter Million Saturday feature; Doyle said after the race that a better quality of field would suit his filly who could step up in grade
Saturday 21 January 2023 16:20, UK
Al Agaila brought up a hat-trick when shading a thrilling finish to the talkSPORT Winter Oaks Fillies' Handicap at Lingfield.
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained filly made a successful step up to 10 furlongs in the Winter Oaks Trial in December and was sent off the 10-11 favourite to land the feature on the Saturday of the track's Winter Million weekend.
Settled in fourth by James Doyle, the Classic-winning rider was in no rush to make any significant move in the early stages and then began to squeeze his mount forward as the eight-strong field approached the home turn.
Angled wide, the daughter of Lope De Vega soon breezed into a position to strike, but as the runners straightened for the closing stages, Al Agaila was joined by the William Haggas-trained Morgan Fairy and Harry Eustace's Makinmedoit - with the three fillies soon locked in a titanic battle to the line.
The trio matched strides all the way up the Lingfield home straight, but it was Doyle who conjured up extra from his mount in the shadow of the post to land the £51,540 first prize.
Speaking after the race, jockey Doyle said a better class of race would suit his filly as well as a stronger pace.
"They went no gallop at all and it was really tactical," Doyle told Sky Sports Racing. As you saw, she doesn't do a tap in front and I waited as long as I would dare but she's done well.
"She's a classy filly and if she had been beat it would've been down to just looking around and she's quite lightly raced against a few of these.
"She really shut down from a furlong out so all credit to her. The truer pace and the longer you can wait, produced late will see her to better effect."
