Global Weekly Preview - 05.03.15

James Doyle is set to make a rapid-fire return to the Australian racing scene to maintain his association with one of Godolphin's rising stars, Hartnell, who caught the eye when runner-up in the Chipping Norton Stakes in Sydney on February 28.

Trainer John O'Shea has inked in the Australian Cup, G1 over 2,000 metres at Flemington on March 14, for Hartnell, a Northern Hemisphere four-year-old who has taken readily to the very different training regime Down Under. Doyle will again be in the saddle.

William Buick, Doyle's Godolphin 'stablemate,' is also being dispatched to Australia to ride in some of the top races, but he will be in action in Sydney on the same afternoon that Doyle rides in Melbourne.

John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, said: "We believe it is a very good idea to make use of the talent and expertise we have within the team, and for that reason, we are keen that these contracted jockeys are riding for us in the best races in Australia.

"James loved it when he rode in Sydney recently, and he is eager to go back for more. William, of course, has ridden in a couple of Melbourne Cups, so he knows the different pressures of Australian racing.

"Both James and William will fly to Australia immediately following the 'Super Saturday' meeting at Meydan on Saturday (March 7), and will ride there until after the Golden Slipper (at Rosehill on March 21). We know they can both contribute greatly to what we are attempting to achieve.

"Then, they will both be back at Meydan to prepare for Dubai World Cup night (March 28), which is always the showcase meeting of the year for our stable," Ferguson added.

Such is the depth in the Godolphin two-year-old ranks, both Buick and Doyle should be able to pick up rides in the Slipper as well as other big races in which the stable have more than one runner. But James McDonald will continue to have first call on the O'Shea runners in Australia.

Meydan's 'Super Saturday' features Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, over 2,000 metres on dirt. Doyle will again partner African Story, last year's Dubai World Cup winner on Tapeta.

His only subsequent start, on the new dirt track at Meydan, resulted in a disappointing seventh behind Frankyfourfingers under Doyle, but connections are eager for another try-out to see whether the track surface was the reason for African Story's last defeat.

Prince Bishop, Buick's ride, is running as well as ever, as indicated by his fine second in Round 2 of the series. He is expected to go close again.