Doyle Set for Champions Sprint Title Aboard Glen Shiel

Hollie Doyle will get another crack at group 1 glory on improving sprinter Glen Shiel on Champions Day next month.

She came in for plaudits for her efforts on the progressive 6-year-old when second in the Betfair Sprint Cup (G1) at Haydock on her first top-level ride in Britain, a week on from her historic five-timer at Windsor. And the partnership will be reunited at Ascot next month when they bid to turn the tables on Dream of Dreams in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint (G1).

"Hollie is an exceptional rider," said Simon Turner of Glen Shiel's owners, Hambleton Racing. "If you look at everyone riding at the moment, she is firmly worth her place at the top of the tree.

"She's a fantastic rider and she's got a brilliant temperament in these bigger races. Typically she handled it superbly on Saturday and gave Glen Shiel an excellent ride. It's what you expect from Hollie. She's just an established top rider."

Doyle herself is looking forward to Ascot and said: "Glen Shiel ran his heart out in the Sprint Cup and thrived on the slow ground. It's great that Hambleton have found a horse like this to take them to the big meetings.

"After his performance yesterday, I'm looking forward to Champions Day even more now."

The Champions Sprint will be the next race for Glen Shiel, who had won a group 3 at the Curragh last month and looked to run a career-best when chasing home Dream of Dreams on Saturday.

"The race picks itself, really," Turner said. "He's clearly likely to get similar ground, the worse the ground the better for him.

"I know a lot of his owners backed him at 25-1 yesterday, and I'm sure they'll be tempted by the 14-1 on offer for Ascot as there was no fluke about the performance at all. He's got a progressive profile and he goes well at Ascot.

"We were thrilled with his performance and he's clearly improved again. Hollie felt that he moved like a much better horse on deep ground last autumn and he hadn't had the chance to race on it this season, so we were hopeful and it was fantastic to see him bring his form to that level."

Trainer Archie Watson added: "I couldn't be more proud of Glen Shiel. He was a very shrewd buy at £45,000 (US$57,177) and took another step forward at Haydock, showing he can compete against the best in group 1 races."