OH BOY, what a day it was for jockey Hollie Doyle, trainer Archie Watson and a large gathering of Middleham Park Racing club members at Newbury last Saturday.

 Eddie’s Boy bolted up to win one of the track’s biggest races of the season – the Weatherbys Super Sprint over the minimum distance of five furlongs.

Drawn 21 of 21 , the 15/2 chance was never headed as he kept close to the stands rail to win by two and a quarter lengths from 80/1 outsider Woolhampton, the mount of Trevor Whelan, and Rogue Spirit (4/1), ridden by Jack Mitchell.

It was the two-year-old colt’s second win in five starts, along with a second place and two thirds, including one at Royal Ascot.

Upper Lambourn-based Watson said: “That was great. He ran a very good race at Ascot and showed loads of speed there. It was only two very good horses who came and got him.
“ (Today) he just went straight line and the one thing I didn’t want to do was be trapped on the rail, but as soon as nothing was able to come forward with us, then it was a straightforward job for Hollie.
“She kicked him in the belly a long way down and he responded. He was very tough and we are delighted for the owners. It is the first year we have had horses for Middleham Park and all three have won and this one has won the Super Sprint, so it is going all right.”

Doyle went on to win the next race on Morgan Fairy (100/30) trained by William Haggas, while her husband, Tom Marquand, had earlier won the bet365 Stakes on 5/4 favourite Grocer Jack, also trained by Haggas.

The Newbury card was reduced to six after the scheduled final race had been cancelled due to a boycott of trainers because of the poor prize money being offered.
There were originally 13 entries for the 10-furlong novice for fillies, but none were declared at last Thursday’s stage.

Ralph Beckett, who is president of the National Trainers Federation, claimed  that: “Newbury's prize-money has been derisory for some time.”
Newbury's chief executive Julian Thick said the track plans to increase their purses next year thanks to a new media contract.

* IT is quality rather than quantity for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.35) at Ascot on Saturday as only six runners were declared at the five-day stage for the race that offers £1.25 million in prize money.

The field includes the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover, who won the Irish Derby, and John & Thady Gosden pair Emily Upjohn and Mishriff, who will be looking to go one better than last year.

Torquator Tasso, shock winner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomph last October, comes over from France, while Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien relies on Royal Ascot winner Broome and Pyledriver, makes the short journey from the Lambourn yard of William Muir and Chris Grassick.
Ascot’s seven-race card gets underway at 1.50pm with Friday’s meeting starting at 1.55.