Delight for Doyle as Goodwood's Friday night comes to thrilling end

The 24-year-old rider, who has made many in the sport sit up and take notice with some impressive victories in the past year or so, rode 13/2 and 11/4 winners to mark him out as the evening’s top performer on the track.

For once the rain held off to allow revellers a dry evening, if a wind-affected one, to enjoy a DJ set by Mike Skinner (pictured above by Clive Bennett), one-time frontman of The Streets, after a six-race card.

William Twiston-Davies kicked things off with a win in the Three Friday Nights Apprentice Handicap aboard Take Two (4/1).

The John O’Shea-handled three-year-old led most of the way but had to battle hard to hold off Musically (9/1), under Charles Bishop, on the line.

The Gordon’s Maiden Auction Fillies’ Stakes went to Kelly Harrison on the William Haggas-trained Momalorka (9/2).

There was a photo finish in the Rothschild’s Maiden Fillies’ Stakes which gave the verdict to Roger Charlton’s runner Valiant Girl, ridden by Cambridge-born prospect Doyle, ahead of Luca Cumani’s Infinite Hope (Kirsty Milczarek).

There was another female jockey in the winner’s enclosure when Katia Scallan won the Capital FM Handicap with an impressive ride on Lady Rosamunde (4/1).

Afterwards Mike Skinner made his first appearance of the evening to help with the presentation to connections of the Marcus Tregoning-trained winner.

Skinner said he was delighted to be at Goodwood but joked that he was worried he was lowering the tone in such grand surroundings.

Doyle followed his earlier win with victory on 11/4 shot Russian Rave, trained by Jonathan Portman, in the Peter Sewell Fillies’ Stakes, beating Wahylah (Seb Sanders).

The last, the Goodwood Farm Shop Stakes handicap, went to Steve Donohoe on Alice’s Dancer (9/1).

See the Chichester Observer next Thursday for a report and pictures from the night.

STEVE BONE