Hollie Doyle has been consistently creating history throughout her career and it feels inevitable that she will eventually become the first female Flat jockey champion.
Jockey Hollie Doyle
The 26-year-old has been a regular contender for the title in recent seasons and is now aiming to take the next step, with the prize going to the jockey who rides the most winners between the Guineas meeting in early May and Champions Day at Ascot in October.
Last season, Doyle finished joint-second in the standings, alongside husband Tom Marquand, after riding 91 winners. The couple were a long way behind the runaway winner William Buick, who benefits from the support of the powerful Godolphin stable.
Strong start to the 2023 title race
In the 2023 title race, Doyle has made a strong start to the season and is a general 33/1 shot to be crowned champion, with Buick and early leader Oisin Murphy the two clear favourites. There is also a market to be champion without Buick and Murphy, who was suspended for the 2022 season, being in consideration. As a general 7/2 chance, Doyle certainly has the credentials to be first in line behind Buick and Murphy, and she is always a popular pick for those betting on horse racing.
Since riding her first winner a decade ago, Doyle has continued to ride winners on an extremely consistent basis, toppling records and setting new landmarks along the way, in addition to her popularity and appeal ensuring she has become known far beyond horse racing, as evidenced by finishing third in the voting for the 2020 Sports Personality of the Year.
Earlier that year, Doyle rode her first winner at Royal Ascot when Scarlet Dragon won the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at odds of 33/1. A few weeks later, Doyle won her first Group race and was then subsequently appointed retained jockey to owner Imad Al Sagar.
With the backing of an owner such as Al Sagar, and relationships with trainers such as Archie Watson, Doyle is never short of opportunities to ride winners. Doyle was wearing Al Sagar’s green colours when creating history in 2022 when the John Gosden-trained Nashwa won the Prix de Diane, which is the French Oaks. That win saw Doyle become the first female jockey to win a European Classic.
More European Classic success
Doyle has recently followed that up with another Classic success after partnering with Shavasana to win the Italian Oaks for Italian trainer Stefano Botti. The fact she was booked for that ride is a clear indication of how widely regarded she is throughout the world of horse racing.
It also feels like only a matter of time before she follows up Classic Glory on the continent by winning a domestic classic. In September 2021, she finished fourth aboard Interpretation in St Leger at Doncaster to become the first female jockey to finish in the prize money in a British Classic. Doyle also partnered with Nashwa to finish third in the Epsom Oaks just over a fortnight before their win in France.
Whether that Classic success comes before or after she wins the jockey’s title will largely depend on the quality of the horse she is able to ride. But what is not in question is her desire to win or her judgement in the saddle as she is tremendously astute when it comes to tactics and positioning her horse to maximise the prospects of victory.
Having ridden more than 150 winners in the calendar year for the past three years, it really does feel only a matter of time before Doyle creates another piece of history by becoming the first female champion jockey.