No Winter Blues For Doyle

Hollie Doyle | racingfotos.com

By

Months of chilly toil around Britain's six all-weather tracks is simply a means to an end for most jockeys.

In Hollie Doyle's case, the sand provided the launchpad for bigger and better things once the Turf began in 2017 and it again presents an opportunity with most of the leading lights operating further afield.

In last season's winter championship, the 21-year-old placed ninth and the highest-ranking apprentice. With her claim evaporating with a 95th career winner at the end of November, it is time to make some more useful contacts.

“I don't mind it,” she said. “I've just got to keep going on, which is what I did last year. I kept in with the trainers I rode for in the winter into the summer, which helped. It's going to be harder for me. I'm getting loads of rides but it's a struggle to get on anything half decent, although nothing is really half-decent at this time of year.”

Based with Richard Hannon for the last three years, the diminutive Doyle has pushed beyond half a century for the season despite missing significant periods through injury. She managed her first listed winner, Jeanette McCreery and the Pall Mall Partners' Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}), in the Upavon Fillies' S. at Salisbury.

“I was really lucky to get on her when I did, I was second the first time at Salisbury in May, I got off and said if I rode her again, I'd do something different,” she recalls. “Luckily they kept me on, which doesn't happen very often. The Pall Mall Partners were very good for doing that, especially in the listed race as I was still an apprentice and couldn't use my claim. It's every apprentice's dream to ride a black-type winner.”

The pair could return for more in 2018, Doyle reporting, “She's at home having a break. I presume she'll be coming back, I don't see why not.”

Her early success offered the chance to be a super-sub in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, competing alongside Emma-Jayne Wilson and Hayley Turner on the Girls' team when Michelle Payne dropped out.

“I didn't find out until on the day, so I didn't know for certain what I was riding,” she said. “It was an experience, I'd love to do it again one day I hope because it was quite a lot to take in. It was quite a big atmosphere, but more laid-back than I expected and really good fun. It wasn't actually very different to riding in a normal race, just obviously a big day and highly watched.”

Brought up in Hereford, Doyle rode her first winner as an amateur in 2013 when based with David Evans before relocating to the Hannons' Wiltshire operation.

“We always had horses at home, my grandma trained Arabs, and my mum and dad rode, it's all I've wanted to do really,” Doyle said. “Dad [Mark] was actually an apprentice with Mr Hannon for a while when he was really young, but he got too heavy, went jumping and eventually gave up. I did mounted games and a lot of pony racing when I was younger. Things picked up with Mr Hannon with the more rides that I've had. You can do as much as you like at home but there's nothing like race riding.”

Doyle is one half of something of a Flat racing power couple. Her long-term boyfriend is Tom Marquand, who has made the grade after becoming champion apprentice in 2015. Seemingly as sensible and as hard-working as each other, they have just bought a house together close to the Hannon stable.

“We get a bit of banter [from the rest of the yard], nothing too bad, it's old news now,” she said. “It's all really friendly and everyone gets their fair share of the rides as it's a big team.”

“He's doing great as well, riding plenty of winners, and he and Sean Levey ride most of the horses now. He'll be here for the rest of the winter now too.”

As Doyle is aware, competition for rides in the Hannon yard will get stiffer, particularly if or when new apprentices arrive. Nonetheless, she will draw support from other trainers such as Cambridgeshire-based William Stone, who has also been increasing his tally year-on-year.

“I think Hollie's greatest attribute is her judgement of pace, especially from the front, I always feel confident that she will never be going too fast or too slow when she's leading,” said Stone, upon whose Hidden Stash (GB) (Sakhee's Secret {GB}) Doyle rode out her claim at Lingfield in late November. “When things don't go to plan she always comes back and is very honest about it. She rode a horse called Evening Attire for me at Epsom in the summer of 2016, she came from the back and finished sixth on him. She said she thought she could win on him, so sure enough she did twice from the front later in the year. She rides most of my horses and I can't see any reason why that would change.”

Doyle agrees that her accurate timing of pace might have been developed following a six-week stint in America four years ago, when she rode track work for California-based Leonard Powell.

“I was only 17 at the time, and it all happened quite fast,” she said. “I was at Dave Evans's at the time and Kieren Fallon was spending the winter over there. He kind of pointed me in the right direction but I was thrown in at the deep end, I just turned up on my own. A lot of the American jockeys like Mike Smith were out there and I found I picked up the whole timing thing quite quickly. I wouldn't say I know exactly how quick I'm going the whole time but it was helpful to my riding. It was a bit different being in America, and I think if I were to go out there again I'd be much better.”

Instead of any winter sun, it will be back home briefly for Christmas and then a combination of racing and helping to prepare the next generation of 2-year-olds for her boss. She is open-minded about what the future might hold.

“It shouldn't be any different but the chances might be a bit more sparse,” she said. “But as long as I keep getting rides, earning money and come across a good horse at some point, that's all you've got to hope for. Hopefully I'll manage as many as I did this year if not more but that's going to be hard. I'll try to get in with some other trainers, give it a kick in the belly, but I understand if it doesn't go as well.”

Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.

Copy Article Link

X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.