Hollie Doyle won on her first ride back from a five-month injury lay-off last weekend and heads to Doncaster on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Racing - with two rides. Almost a week after returning to the racecourse following a fall at Bath that left me with a badly broken left leg, I can honestly say that it feels like I've never been away. I couldn't have wished for a better start, winning on my first ride back on the James Owen-trained Oxford Circus at Southwell.
I kept myself fit during my layoff, thanks to daily sessions at Oaksey House in Lambourn, so haven't been lacking for sharpness. Now I'm concentrating on riding as many winners as I can before I fly out to Hong Kong for the winter, hopefully at the end of November. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to my two rides on the final day of the British Flat Season at Doncaster on Saturday.
Never miss a story with all the latest racing news, interviews and features on your phone. Find out more I'm hoping James Owen's filly Cherry Baker can outrun her big odds in the Listed Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Wentworth Stakes (2.10) at Doncaster. She ran well in the Listed Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket last month when she was fourth to Ruby's Angel and the reopposing Zen Diva.
The latter finished behind her at Chester in May, so the form looks strong. The cheekpieces Cherry Baker wore for the first time on the Rowley Mile are retained but she will need to step up again if she's to gain some valuable black type. Tina's Indian also needs to improve on recent efforts but will enjoy the soft conditions in the closing Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap (3.55) at Doncaster.
Brian Toomey's gelding drops back in trip after running over seven-furlongs and a mile in testing ground and wears a hood for the first time. He could be nicely drawn near the stands rail in stall 21 and will hopefully reproduce the good form he showed in Ireland last year. A plum ride for Cieren Fallon, the William Haggas-trained Castle Cove can come back from a year off to repeat last season's success in the Virgin Bet November Handicap (3.25) at Doncaster.
The five-year-old, who remains open to progress, has a good record fresh and will revel in the testing conditions on his first start since taking this valuable prize off an eight-pound lower mark. A new rating of 100 could yet prove lenient and I prefer him to Richard Hughes's lightly raced market leader Nobody Knows who looks ready for this step up in trip with Ryan Moore an eye-catching booking. In an open race, Ryan's son Toby can give the Moore family plenty to shout about with Too Soon, whose handicap wins over 12f at Goodwood and Epsom entitle him to the greatest respect.
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