James Doyle

James Fanshawe trainee and G1 King's Stand Stakes fourth Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}--Blues Sister {GB}, by Compton Place {GB}) was acquired by Wathnan Racing after a posting a second-place finish in last month's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and provided an immediate return on investment with a brave success in Ascot's G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes. The 10-1 chance and 'TDN Rising Star' employed patient tactics from flagfall and settled off the tempo through halfway. Cruising into contention at the quarter-mile marker, he was ridden to the...

Fresh from Friday's double with a pair of exciting two-year-old fillies, Charlie Appleby returned to the Rowley Mile bright and early on Saturday morning to oversee racecourse gallops for some of the biggest names at Moulton Paddocks, including the 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner Notable Speech (Ire) who could yet stay in training as a four-year-old according to his trainer. Breeders' Cup Mile contender Notable Speech finished his exercise nicely clear of his galloping companion, Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), in the hands of regular work rider Paul Eddery,...

The Gredley Family's homebred Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko--Eva Maria {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who had placed in both G2 Superlative Stakes and G3 Acomb Stakes, was rewarded for those earlier efforts with a decisive success in Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket. The February-foaled bay, who lined up as a solid 4-1 chance, broke swiftly and stalked the tempo in second until beyond halfway. Easing to the fore going well approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened in style emerging out of the dip and kept on...

Wathnan Racing's Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Jane Doe {Ire}, by Hallowed Crown {Aus}) registered a second stakes success in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at the beginning of this month and embellished his record with a game victory in Friday's G2 Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster. The £380,000 Goffs Breeze-Up graduate and 7-2 third choice broke swiftly and raced on the front end throughout this five-furlong dash. Coming under pressure at halfway, he refused to buckle in the closing stages and was driven out to deny familiar foe Big...

Carrying a seven-pound penalty for his taking debut win at Newmarket last month, Wathnan Racing's Defence Minister (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Tears Of The Sun {GB}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}) shrugged off the extra burden to win decisively in his six-furlong novice at Haydock on Thursday. Settled behind the leaders early by James Doyle, the 11-8 favourite surged to the front inside the final furlong for a 1 1/2-length defeat of Arabian Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The Hamad Al Jehani trainee, who was a €210,000 Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up...

Making amends for his defeat in Goodwood's G3 Molecomb Stakes in July, Wathnan Racing's Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Jane Doe {Ire}, by Hallowed Crown {Aus}) led from start to finish in Sunday's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at ParisLongchamp. Bagging the rail under James Doyle, the 9-10 favourite saw off all threats to hit the line 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Kaadi (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), with Treasure Isle (Ire) (No Nay Never) a short neck away in third. "At Goodwood, I felt I rode him too quietly so today I wanted to...

Third in a decent novice at Sandown last month, Wathnan Racing's 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase Dunamase (Ire) (Kingman {GB}—Turret Rocks {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was off the mark at the second time of asking in the mile novice contest at Kempton on Wednesday evening. Prominent from the outset under James Doyle, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 8-11 favourite was in front approaching two out and stayed on to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Prince Of The Seas (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The winner is a full-brother to...

James Doyle has been confirmed to ride Irish Derby runner-up Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. A Group 1 winner in last season's Criterium International, David Menuisier's colt ran the best race of his three-year-old campaign when pushing Los Angeles close at the Curragh last month. With Oisin Murphy confirmed to ride the John and Thady Gosden-trained Middle Earth, Menuisier has snapped up the services of Doyle. He confirmed, "James Doyle is going to ride. He won't need...

Wathnan Racing's Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Jane Doe {Ire}, by Hallowed Crown {Aus}) followed up an impressive debut score at Bath in May with a fifth in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk Stakes last month and was too good for five rivals to register a career high in Friday's Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown. The £380,000 Goffs Breeze-Up graduate broke smartly from the outside gate and stalked the pace in second through halfway. Looming large at the quarter-mile marker, the 6-4 pick seized control approaching the final furlong and kept on powerfully...

Wathnan Racing's dual Classic-placed acquisition Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}--Hard Walnut {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) went postward for Saturday's G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot lumbered with a three-pound Group 3 penalty and defied that impost in game fashion to register a narrow victory in the seven-furlong test. Haatem was swiftly into stride and settled into a comfortable rhythm slipstreaming fellow Wathnan contender Native American (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in a prominent fourth from the outset. Tanking forward on the bridle to lead approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 7-2...

Wathnan Racing's Shareholder (Not This Time--Cloudy Dancer {GB}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) had only announced himself a G2 Norfolk Stakes candidate 12 days ago when winning Beverley's Two Year Old Trophy Conditions Stakes and made light of the quick turnaround to capture the Royal Ascot prize. Held on to by James Doyle early among the group racing up the centre, the Karl Burke-trained 12-1 shot was in front passing the two-furlong pole and asserted to score by a length from Tropical Storm (GB) (Eqtidaar {Ire}), with a head back to...

Wathnan Racing struck the woodwork more than once during Tuesday's opening day of Royal Ascot and made a belated breakthrough in Wednesday's opener, the G2 Queen Mary Stakes, with £190,000 Goffs Breeze-Up acquisition and once-raced Nottingham maiden winner Leovanni (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}--Kassandra {Ire}, by Dandy Man {Ire}). The Karl Burke trainee broke smartly and raced to the fore in the smaller far-side group throughout the five-furlong dash. Shaken up to gain an overall advantage soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the 22-1 chance refused to buckle once in front...