Doyle hopes to be riding high as promising mare returns

There’s a healthy respect from trainer Nathan Doyle about the boom Godolphin filly his talented mare Overriding will face at Randwick on Saturday but he says she's ready to run a big race first-up.

OVERRIDING.
OVERRIDING. Picture: Steve Hart

Commemorative is that rival and Nathan Doyle said if Overriding is able to beat that filly giving her 7kg, or even if she finishes close up in the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) it will be an encouraging start to the preparation.

"She's well and truly up to this grade, at fillies and mares she has to lump the 59kg and I suppose that's the only query with her,'' Doyle said.

"The favourite has 52kg, it's very well weighted the Godolphin horse.

"But it's a nice kick off point, she has a good gate and gets there in good order."

Overriding, on the third line at $7.50 with TAB on Friday, has won four of her seven starts including a Randwick win over Commemorative half-brother Contemporary, and was gallant in defeat when third over 1400m at the end of her campaign.

In that race, also a Benchmark 78 for the fillies and mares, she sat outside the leader and hit the front only to be reeled in late.

"We probably did a bit too much chasing, she had the favourite covered quite easily and was probably left a sitting duck,'' Doyle said.

"We've got the opportunity to go through a few more grades before we have to think about anything lofty.

"Sydney racing is pretty good at the moment, there's plenty of racing around for her and we'll see where she gets to."

As far as the task of a first-up win goes, Doyle said he can see Overriding getting some favours in a race that appears to lack a strong tempo.

"I'd day she will put herself in the first four somewhere, I don't see too much speed on paper,'' he said.

"That might be one thing in her favour, we might be able to position a bit further forward than the favourite. But we can only run our own race and we hope she runs well."

Meanwhile at Kembla Grange, Doyle is hoping stablemates The Empire and Ambassadors can run up to his expectation in the Grand Zulu Handicap (1400m).

The Empire has finished fourth in both runs back at Newcastle and Kembla and Doyle is taking 3kg off his back again with apprentice Hannah Williams while Ashley Morgan replaces an apprentice on Ambassadors who also finished fourth when resuming.

"The Empire's been very unlucky, probably should have nearly won first-up. He over raced on the speed last start and has only been beaten half a length on both occasions. He's due for a bit of luck,'' he said.

"Ambassadors, the 1300m first-up he was probably just found wanting at the finish. When he went past the 200m mark he was all out.

"He has a good gate, he'll roll forward and I expect him to run well as well."


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