Hollie Doyle was the queen of Goodwood as she followed up her Group One triumph by completing a fine hat-trick with additional successes aboard Lord Riddiford and Sisters In The Sky.
It was on the last-named colt that she cemented the feat, producing the 13-2 chance to lead approaching the distance in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes and preserve a healthy lead to the line, scoring by a cosy but reduced length for trainer Roger Teal.
A jubilant Doyle said: “It’s been an amazing day and brilliant to win on this colt for Roger. He settled a lot better today, and after hitting a flat spot saw it out well. I just needed to give him one behind the saddle and he was away.
Teal enthused: “Hollie had never ridden a winner for me before, but what a way to get off the mark. When we saw the bad forecast and the ground change we were worried, but decided to give it a punt. When you look at the form of this horse, it has worked out tremendously well.”
John Quinn dominated the Back To Goodwood Handicap when the Malton trainer sent out Doyle’s mount Lord Riddiford and El Astronaute to give him a one-two in the five-furlong sprint.
Just minutes on from her Goodwood Cup triumph on Trueshan, Doyle swooped to conquer on Lord Riddiford (13-2) who forged two and a half lengths clear of his stablemate, with Desert Safari and Sunday Sovereign a close-up third and fourth.
Lord Riddiford is owned by twin brothers James and Andrew Derry from Newark, whose love affair with Goodwood was sparked by the same horse.
James Derry explained: “Our first winner was this horse here at Goodwood three years ago. I’d been coming to the course for 35 years and dreamed of having a winner here.”
Quinn attributed the change in going as being a huge part of the grey’s success and observed: “The ground was very quick for him in Ireland last time, and the bit of ease today made a huge difference.”
Doyle said: “He’s a very good horse on his day and liked the conditions. He probably could have jumped better, and I had to work to keep him balanced and retain my position. But when we hit the rising ground he really picked up and shot clear.”
David Menuisier’s Migration was a ready winner of the opening Unibet “You’re On” Chesterfield Cup Handicap after throwing down a late challenge.
The five-year-old made light of the heavy ground and built on a promising seasonal debut to strike as 2-1 favourite under William Buick.
Leaving the stalls slowly and racing at the rear of the field for much of the contest, the gelding remained on the far rail as a small group broke off in search of better ground on the stands side and cut through his rivals to gain the lead with half a furlong remaining.
Driven out under Buick, the bay was an eventual two-length winner over Ed Walker’s Caradoc in second and Roger Fell’s Cockalorum a further length and three-quarters behind in third.
“I wasn’t worried, I’m absolutely delighted,” Menuisier said.
“I’ve run him over a mile but I really felt that a mile (and) two (furlongs) is his favourite trip, so it was just a matter of where.
“He should have run at Newmarket the other day but the ground, I felt, was too quick, so I ruled him out.
“He is very straightforward and he has a good turn of foot so he can get out of trouble, what he doesn’t like is having to do too much.
“About two furlongs out I was thinking ‘come on William’, but he probably felt that he had a massive tank underneath him.
Anghaam (7-2) benefitted from a canny ride by Jim Crowley to make all in the fillies’ handicap, holding Zwelela by a comfortable length and a half.
Winning trainer Richard Hannon said: “It was a game effort, just like the way she won at Newmarket earlier in the season. She’s all heart.”
In a reduced field of only six, well-supported favourite Urban Violet could only manage fourth.
Buick then sealed an opening-day double when taking the World Pool EBF Fillies’ Handicap aboard Hugo Palmer‘s Lovely Breeze.
The filly struck at 3-1 in the seven-furlong contest when racing furthest from the rail, crossing the line a length and three-quarters ahead of Rod Millman’s Crazy Luck
