Hollie Doyle’s blog: Shadow Of Light fancied to upset The Lion In Winter in Dewhurst clash at Newmarket

Hollie Doyle heads to France on Saturday to ride an improving juvenile for boss Archie Watson and reveals her fancies for the Dewhurst and Cesarewitch at Newmarket.

Listed chance for promising Elixir

I am back in France on Saturday, hoping to go one better than I did on the gallant Bradsell in last weekend’s Group One Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp when I partner a promising Archie Watson two-year-old.

Eternal Elixir runs in the Listed Prix Saraca (3.07) over 7f at Chantilly – live on Sky Sports Racing – where he faces six rivals, including fellow British raider Yaroogh from the powerful Newmarket stable of William Haggas.

A lovely horse who we’ve always thought highly of, Eternal Elixir is worth his place in the line-up after finishing third in another Listed contest last month in the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock.

Salem Rashid Bin Ghadayer’s colt broke his duck on testing ground in a Ffos Las novice over 7.5f the previous month, where he won going away for Josh Bryan, so he should handle the ground and remains open to further improvement on just his fourth career start.

Bradsell lost nothing in defeat

Bradsell was so courageous in defeat in the Abbaye last Sunday and Archie is happy with the way he’s come out of the race. The ground was much softer than ideal for him, but he still travelled well throughout the race and battled hard to finish second to Ed Walker’s mare Makarova, ridden by my husband Tom (Marquand).

It was a valiant attempt at a third consecutive Group One, following successes in both the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five, and while finishing second is never nice, especially in the big races, I’d rather be beaten by Tom than anyone else.

It’s all systems go now for the Breeders’ Cup for Bradsell, who will take his chance in the Turf Sprint at Del Mar in a few weeks’ time – an experience I’m really looking forward to. He will head the European challenge and shouldn’t have any ground concerns out there.

I’m not sure what’s in the pipeline for Nashwa, who made her belated reappearance in last weekend’s Group One Sun Chariot Stakes. She ultimately needed the run, getting tired in the closing stages, but she didn’t have a hard race and will come on for it. Imad Alsagar’s mare holds two entries on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot next weekend.

Goodwood date for Murphy filly

I am likely to be at Goodwood on Sunday to ride Amy Murphy’s filly Spiritualism in the William Hill British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (2.25).

She will need to act on testing ground to figure in the 6f dash, but she ran well on soft ground in France on debut and showed enough on the all-weather at Lingfield last month to hold a decent chance if she does.

Shadow can tame Lion in Dewhurst

The Lion In Winter has been the talk of the town since winning the Group Three Acomb Stakes at York so impressively, and the Sea The Stars colt puts his burgeoning reputation on the line in Saturday’s Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes (3.00) at Newmarket.

He could be another superstar for Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore operation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Godolphin’s Shadow Of Light manages to get the better of him.

Beating O’Brien’s previous Group One winner Whistlejacket by a commanding four lengths in the Middle Park last month was some achievement, and Charlie Appleby’s colt is clearly still on an upward trajectory.

Hayley holds Cesarewitch aces

I’d love to see Hayley Turner win the second leg of the famous ‘Autumn Double’ at Newmarket with victory in the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap (3.40) on Irish raider Jacovec Cavern.

This gelding made a solid start for Emmet Mullins at Galway, returning from 15 months off to be second in a two-mile handicap, and had some useful form in staying handicaps on these shores for Mick Channon as a three-year-old.

It looks wide open, but off such a light weight he has the credentials to give Hayley a great ride in a race that could be dominated by the Irish, who are responsible for no fewer than six of the market principals.