'She showed a big engine there' - James Doyle enjoys pre-Shaquille boost with Haydock double

James Doyle geared up for his huge Saturday ride at Haydock on Sprint Cup favourite Shaquille with a double at the track.

The rider started the day with an easy success aboard Shadow Dance in the 1m3½f handicap for Roger Varian before the Owen Burrows-trained Raqiya built on her Salisbury win with a convincing four-and-a-half length success in the 6f novice.

"That was nice," Doyle told Racing TV. "I wanted to switch things up a little bit, she took advantage of a soft lead at Salisbury but she's quite forward-going so under a penalty here I thought it'd be better settling her in and relaxing her.

"Owen said to me she thinks she's fast but takes time to go through her paces so I was keen to get on her case passing the two [furlong pole] but she showed a big engine there. I wouldn't see her as just a two-year-old."

Doyle won the course's only top-level contest aboard Hello Youmzain four years ago and also has leading weekend chances on Chindit, Denmark and Aztec Empire before his big ride.

First for Alpinista

Alpinista registered her first Group-race victory at Haydock and Lingua Franca struck for the same connections in the mile fillies' novice.

In the silks of Kirsten Rausing, the two-year-old showed a good attitude under Luke Morris to hold off Bolsena to give Sir Mark Prescott a first juvenile winner of the season.

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