Glen Shiel gives Hollie Doyle landmark first career Group One victory

Graham Clark
October 17, 2020 1:30 pm

Champions Sprint triumph was a close-run thing from gallant veteran Brando.

Hollie Doyle landed her first Group One success when snatching the verdict on Glen Shiel in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

Just 35 minutes after Doyle had become the first female rider to win on British Champions Day in the opening Long Distance Cup on Trueshan, the 24-year-old broke yet more new ground in a record-breaking year.

Doyle and connections of the Archie Watson-trained six-year-old had to wait a few anxious moments for the result of the photo-finish before it was confirmed Glen Shiel (16-1) had beaten the veteran Brando by a nose.

🏇 Glen Shiel narrowly beats Brando to land the Champion Sprint Stakes
🏆 A first Group 1 Success and a double on the day for Hollie Doyle
📈 The Winner had a Betfair Starting Price of 19.9pic.twitter.com/p3mJnpZwgv

— Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) October 17, 2020

Glen Shiel was always in the front rank after being smartly out of the stalls and was joined three furlongs out by Oxted. The July Cup winner took the lead, but had nothing more to give in the final half-furlong.

Glen Shiel kept on giving back in front – and just held the very late challenge of 80-1 outsider Brando. One Master was half a length away in third place.