James Doyle

James McDonald will once again ride second string for Wathnan Racing during the Royal Ascot meeting next week. The Kiwi-born McDonald earned his fifth Royal Ascot winner aboard Wathnan's Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) in last year's G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Overall, the Wathnan colours were first past the post five times during the 2025 edition of Royal Ascot. "We've got a young fellow from New Zealand who's not too bad called James McDonald on the teamsheet," said Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown when asked about riding plans in races where...

Joining the growing brigade of exciting two-year-olds under the Wathnan Racing banner, Royal Heritage (Blue Point) made his own statement on debut at Hamilton on Wednesday evening. Sent off the 30-100 favourite for the six-furlong maiden, the €800,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up purchase who holds an entry in Tuesday's Coventry was able to easily overcome a slow start and cruise to the fore two out. Sent clear under hands and heels by James Doyle, the Hamad Al Jehani-trained half-brother to the useful handicapper Lattam (Lope De Vega) asserted for a 2...

Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke will head to Royal Ascot with some exciting two-year-olds and Monday's action at Carlisle saw Light Of Dawn (Showcasing) add her name to the list. The victory follows a brace of winners for the Wathnan operation at Churchill Downs on Sunday, both of whom - Sneakily (Tapit) and Leading Change (Gun Runner) - were subsequently named 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard'. Sent off the 5-6 favourite for the near-six-furlong novice, the €625,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up purchase was settled in rear of the quartet early...

Trainer Karl Burke unveiled subsequent G3 Albany, G2 Duchess Of Cambridge and G1 Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun (Starman) in last term's British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Carlisle and he unleashed another Royal Ascot contender in this year's renewal. James Doyle made the long journey north to partner Wathnan Racing's 300,000gns Craven Breeze-Up graduate Wild Blossom (Mehmas) at the Cumbrian venue and she returned with a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette after routing her three rivals by 10 lengths and more in the five-furlong contest,...

Wathnan Racing's Tornado Tower (Frankel), an 850,000gns Book 1 full-brother to G1 Irish Derby, G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger hero Hurricane Lane, made his second start a winning one in Wednesday's TMT Group Maiden Stakes at Chester. "We had the option of going a mile-and-a-half or a mile-and-a-quarter here, but decided he'd shown enough zip in his last piece of work to go a mile-and-a-quarter," explained James Doyle. "He was learning on the job early, we got rolling a little way from home and it set...

Wathnan Racing's Derby also-ran Damysus (Frankel) was last seen bagging Newmarket's G3 Darley Stakes, going nine furlongs in October, and returned over the same course and distance to rout his five rivals under a penalty in Wednesday's G3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes. "He's not a big horse, but he's more powerful now and when James [Doyle] asked him to go the acceleration was instant," said John Gosden. "I think he will be better this year, he's more mature and anything from a mile to a mile-and-a-quarter is what James feels...

The Coolmore partners' Title Role (Too Darn Hot) rattled home a convincing winner of the Jumeirah Guineas Trial sponsored by DP World in the Meydan opener on Friday. Keen early under James Doyle, the Simon and Ed Crisford runner kicked four deep in early straight, seized command at the 300-metre mark and stormed away to victory, his second in four starts. "The slow pace did suit him, as the little worry was going up in trip," said Doyle. "He was the one to beat so the guys were happy to...

As the betting suggested, Kempton's mile novice on Wednesday evening was not supposed to present a serious test to Godolphin's Nation's Hope (Ghaiyyath) and that proved to be the case. Sent off at 1-16 having earned TDN Rising Star status on debut over this course and distance last month, the half-brother to the stable's multiple Grade I-winning Nations Pride (Teofilo) was put on the front end by James Doyle with none of his four peers able to stride on. Stretching clear from two out, the Charlie Appleby trainee put six lengths between...

Just two days after recording a first Group 1 winner, Ghaiyyath has another candidate for honours at the highest level after his well-related two-year-old son Nation's Hope delivered a stunning debut display in Monday's British EBF Future Stayers Maiden Stakes at Kempton to earn a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' rosette in the one-mile contest. Godolphin's homebred bay, a half-brother to multiple Grade I-winning globetrotter Nations Pride (Teofilo), outclassed 11 rivals to become the third Rising Star for his sire (by Dubawi) and joins G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches...

Left out of most equations following his fourth in the Champagne, Yuesheng Zhang's Gewan (Night Of Thunder) bounced back in style on unseasonably quick ground to cause a 25-1 upset in Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes. Always in the front line under James Doyle, the Andrew Balding-trained grey who had earlier won the Acomb at York drifted over to the stand's rail but maintained his momentum to deny Ballydoyle's well-backed 7-4 favourite Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) by 3/4 of a length. Godolphin's Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) was 1 1/2 lengths away in...

Completing a trio of consecutive Group 1 successes on Saturday, Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) laid claim to being Wathnan Racing's flagbearer as she made all in Newmarket's Sun Chariot Stakes. Regaining her old prowess in the Prix Rothschild and Matron Stakes in recent weeks, the Karl Burke-trained 11-4 second favourite set out her stall from the outset under James Doyle and despite being made to fight by Blue Bolt (Blue Point) from two out drew away from that Juddmonte runner on the climb to the line to score by...

Wathnan's Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) loves nothing more than a trip overseas for a big prize and the grey was in the winning mood again on Saturday in Leopardstown's G1 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes. Fresh from regaining her mojo in Deauville's Prix Rothschild last month, the Moyglare and Irish Guineas winner who had been second to Porta Fortuna in this 12 months ago outstayed Exactly (Frankel) in the run to the line to prevail by half a length. Atsila (Phoenix Of Spain) was 3/4 of a length away...