Hollie Doyle blog: Nashwa has three to beat in £1m Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday

Nashwa takes on three rivals in £1m Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday; Hollie Doyle takes five rides on opening day at York before heading to Chepstow on Thursday with six chances, all live on Sky Sports Racing

Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle rides Classic winner Nashwa in the £1m Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday before heading to Chepstow on Thursday, the latter live on Sky Sports Racing.

Nashwa ready to take on the boys

I was surprised to discover the gorgeous NASHWA faces only three rivals in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes (3.35) on the opening day of the Ebor Festival at York, but what a race it promises to be!

It’s the first time in her illustrious career that my multiple Group One winner has taken on the colts and it will be simply amazing if she can claim the scalps of Paddington and stable companion Mostahdaf in the £1m showpiece.

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Paddington has become the horse of the summer following brilliant wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes, while Mostahdaf dented some pretty hefty reputations himself by winning the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

This could be tactical as none of the quartet are confirmed front runners. Ryan Moore could elect to go on with Paddington, while Mostahdaf has been ridden with restraint and The Foxes is usually slowly away, but whatever happens, I hope the race is run at a decent pace.

John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa wasn’t suited by a muddling pace in her defence of the Group One Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last time, when the dead ground also blunted her finishing speed, but conditions will be much more to her liking this time and she receives weight from the boys.

Teddy Grimthorpe, the racing manager to my boss Imad Alsagar, tells me she’s in great form and she’ll definitely have conditions in her favour. Imad’s been itching to take on the colts for a long time so I hope she can show the world what a true star she is on her day.

Lucky silks a bonus in York’s curtain raiser

I’ve enjoyed plenty of success for Ontoawinner so I’m delighted to be pulling on their yellow and white quartered silks in the opening Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap (1.50) at York.

I ride their outsider SHALAA ASKER for local trainer Adrian Keatley, who is enjoying a good season from his Malton base and has already won four times with this gelding in 2023.

I’m drawn in the middle on the five-year-old, who carries a light weight. His best form’s come on the All-Weather but he’s effective on any ground and comes into the race in decent form after winning at Pontefract two starts ago.

Out to repeat Haydock win on Solent

SOLENT GATEWAY has the credentials to run a big race in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (4.10) at York following some solid performances this season.

I won on Hugo Palmer’s gelding at Haydock Park in late May before he went on to run creditably over two-and-a-half miles in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal Meeting.

This front-running five-year-old finished well to be fourth in a Class 2 handicap at Newbury last time behind John and Thady Gosden’s exciting Sweet William and should be ideally suited by 2m around this track.

Hoping Sangster filly can Cruise to success

Ollie Sangster’s made an impressive start to his training career and has a chance of celebrating another notable success on a big stage with improving filly CRUISE.

She switches to turf in the IRE Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Fillies’ Handicap (4.45) following two successes on the All-Weather at Southwell and Newcastle, the first with me in the saddle.

I can’t see why Ollie’s daughter of Cotai Glory can’t transfer her form to turf. She’s done enough to justify this step up in class in what looks an open race.

Red alert in York nursery

Michael Bell’s doing well with his two-year-olds so I’m pleased to get the call-up for Middleham Park’s RED ZONE HERO in the Sky Bet Nursery Handicap (5.20) at York.

I won an Ayr maiden on this expensive breeze-up purchase at the end of last month when he finished well on top despite his inexperience.

He’s still a big baby so will need to step up on this testing handicap debut but is certainly going the right way and should have come on a ton for his victory up in Scotland.

Chepstow beckons on Thursday

I’ll be diverting my attention from the Ebor Festival at York on Thursday when I head to Chepstow to ride LAHAB for my boss Imad Alsagar in the famous Nashwa silks, live on Sky Sports Racing.

Andrew Balding’s colt ran a smashing race at Kempton Park earlier this month, finishing third in a one-mile novice after almost a year off. With a rating of 77, he has the ability to get off the mark in the Robert And Isobels Golden Wedding Anniversary Maiden Stakes (2.50).

I’m also looking forward to riding a few for Archie Watson, including LUNANERA in the Blackmore Building Contractors Handicap (3.55). This gelding shaped well on his handicap debut at Ffos Las on his first start for Archie and looks capable of defying his opening mark of 66.

It’s back to York on Friday, of course, when I’ll be back on my King’s Stand hero BRADSELL in the Group One Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (3.35) which I’ll be discussing next time.

Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.

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