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| Rowan Anderson |
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My Frankel took out the SAR $1 million Crown Prince Cup (Domestic Group 1) on the weekend and will now be on track to line up in the Kings Cup in January.
On board the 5YO jockey James Doyle recorded the win in his first rides in Saudi Arabia since the Saudi Cup meet in earlier this year.
Doyle first rode in Saudi Arabia in the 2013-14 season with his last winner in Saudi being during the 2019-20 season.
The reception on his return reminded him of the regard and respect the sport had in the Kingdom.
“From spending a lot of time in Saudi over the years, it was nice to see such a big crowd there. The reception My Frankel got was pretty incredible,” he said.
“It’s a huge team HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz has and they’re very passionate about their horse and the racing, so it was great to see.
“I look forward to hopefully coming back here again soon.”
The victory from My Frankel was Doyle’s seventh winner from 63 rides in the country and was a ride which impressed the jockey.
“The race worked out beautifully,” he said.
“My Frankel was brilliant. They had said he would rate the highest of the runners, so he was pretty well fancied.
“He’s a horse that can lead, but we were a little unsure on how the race would set up, with pacemakers from other stables. We ignored the pacemakers and just rode our own race.
“He was stepping up in trip for the first time in Saudi, but he’d seen the mile and a half out quite well from his time in England, so I knew he’d stay. It was just a case of trying to keep the fractions as smooth as possible as he’s a relentless galloper, rather than a real quickener.
“The straight in Saudi is quite long, so when you’re in front for the whole way, it does seem a long way, but he had plenty left and was a ready winner.
“I think the penciled in plans for him are to drop back to 2,000 meters and be targeted at the King’s Cups (on Jan. 14.) The drop back in trip wouldn’t be a worry.”
With his father being such a legend retiring with a perfect record of 14 wins from 14 starts his progeny in My Frankel is ready to continue the success of the bloodline.
By Rowan Anderson