Space Cowboy is landmark 150th winner for Hollie Doyle

PA Sport Staff
October 19, 2021 4:38 pm

Richard Spencer’s colt strikes as Newcastle stages opening fast-track qualifier.

Hollie Doyle recorded her 150th winner of the year as Space Cowboy capitalised on his Tapeta experience to book his place at All-Weather Championships Finals Day.

Richard Spencer’s colt was contesting Newcastle’s Watch Racing Free Online At Coral EBF Conditions Stakes, the first of this winter’s fast-track qualifiers for the championship finale – which is to be held back at Gosforth Park in April, following its switch from Lingfield.

Space Cowboy made all at 4-1 under Doyle – who was completing a double, having already won the Play Coral Racing-Super-Series For Free EBF Restricted Novice Stakes aboard Archie Watson’s Verona Star.

She was therefore also reaching the 150 milestone for the second successive year, doing so two months ahead of her 2020 schedule.

After seeing off Eldrickjones by half a length in the feature race, Doyle reflected briefly on her own achievement.

She told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s been a good year so far, really memorable. I hope I can continue the form.”

As for the winner, she added: “He’s a very strong horse – Richard’s done a great job with him, and we’ve always really liked him.

“I didn’t really want to make the running there – but no one else wanted to, so I kind of got left in front and did my own thing.

“He’s probably only worked for about a furlong and a half – and a few flicks, and he hit the line hard.

“That will probably be his last run for the year. He’s a really exciting horse for the yard next year.”

150 winners for @HollieDoyle1 in 2021 👏 pic.twitter.com/KqECfqSJct
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 19, 2021

Spencer confirmed he has high hopes for the Rebel Racing-owned juvenile.

He said: “We were very pleased with Space Cowboy. He is a horse we hold in high regard, and it was great to see him step up from his maiden win last time out.

“He weighs 520 kilogrammes – and whatever he did this year was always going to be a bonus. He is a real three-year-old in the making, and a very exciting horse for next year.

“Finals Day is a nice option to have. It’s great that the final will be back at Newcastle, because it is such a fair track.

“We have had a lot of success at Newcastle, and our strike rate is good – Rajasinghe made his debut there before winning the Coventry at Royal Ascot.

“Myself and the owners will make a plan over the winter and work out where we want to go, but there’s great prize money on offer on Finals Day if we decide to go down that route.”