Doyle double as Godolphin lands six in Australia

Newly-arrived English jockey James Doyle bagged a winning double at Rosehill as Godolphin and trainer John O’Shea landed six winners around Australia on Saturday.

Doyle struck with Malice in the Listed ATC Cup and Trekking, a two-year-old who made an impressive start to his racing career, showing tenacity and class to win the Schweppes Plate.

“What a day, I couldn’t have asked for much more than that,” Doyle said.

“I really want to succeed out here. It’s fantastic to have been able to get off to such a good start for the team.”

Riding at only the second meeting of his latest Australian stint, Doyle turned in polished performances in each of his victories, with his persistence proving vital in Malice’s success.

After coming from the outside gate in the 13-runner field, Malice settled at the rear where he stayed until 500m from home where Doyle started to improve his position.

With 200m to run he switched Malice to the inside and the gelded son of Teofilo charged through to score by a long neck.

While Malice has raced well in good the best company in recent preparation, Saturday’s success was his first since winning the same race two years ago, but O’Shea and his team never gave up on him.

“He’s always had an affiliation with the Rosehill track and I changed his gear, put winkers (cheek pieces) on him, and he seems to have appreciated it,” O’Shea said.

“It’s great for James to have got his eye in early, he’s done a great job.

“He’s a world-class rider, not just a good rider.”

Trekking got Doyle’s day off to a perfect start, defying inexperience to win convincingly.

"He got a little bit lost once he broke into the clear but he knuckled down," Doyle said

“It’s great to be off the mark, to have a winner at only my second ride this time around could hardly have been a better result.”

Doyle has previously made four brief visits to Australia and has been in the country less than a week on what is expected to be a longer-term assignment. He had finished second in his only other ride last Wednesday.

Trekking defeated Goodfella by a length-and-a-half with another Godolphin runner, Gaulois, in third place.

O’Shea said Trekking would have a short spell and return to racing next autumn.

“He’s been a bit of a lad at home, but we’ve persisted with him and it was a real team effort to get him to where he is,” O’Shea said.

“It’s great for both horse and rider to get a win on the board.”

Trekking was also one of three winners for the day for his ill-fated sire Street Cry who also produced the O’Shea-trained winners Otter who won at Newcastle and Maternal at Pakenham.

The stable’s six-win day was completed by Fanfaron and Emptor who both scored at Newcastle.