Hollie Doyle bids for Listed glory on progressive Shades Of Blue at Pontefract

EBF Stallions Highfield Farm Flying Fillies' Stakes (Listed) | 6f, 3yo+ | RTV

What a remarkable 12 months it has been for Hollie Doyle, who bids to keep her amazing run going on Shades Of Blue on Sunday.

Almost exactly a year ago she won her first Listed race, the Upavon Fillies' Stakes at Salisbury, and she has not looked back since.

After reaching a half century of winners for the second season in a row in 2018, she has raced to 69 for this campaign and could not be hotter at present, having ridden 14 winners in July and fired in 12 already this month.

"Things have been going very good this year," she said. "It's been amazing – I couldn't imagine things would be going as well as they are."

Doyle, 22, has formed a fruitful partnership with Shades Of Blue, driving her to Listed success at Maisons-Laffitte in June then coming within a neck of Group 3 victory at York last time.

They return to Listed company here, and the jockey said: "I just hope the rain stays away because she doesn't want it too soft, but she's in great form, I galloped her at home the other day and she felt great. I'm hoping for a big run.

"It was a great effort in France, a few winners have come out of that race and the form has worked out well. At York last time she had everything else covered but she just bumped into one, the winner's a very good filly.

"It's a hot race, there are a few potential improvers in there, but my filly is improving all the time and we're hopeful."

Trainer Clive Cox, having just his second runner at Pontefract since scoring a Listed victory with Connect in 2017, added: "She won't want the ground too soft but has a great chance."

Red Balloons was nearly four lengths further back in third at York but was having her first outing since October and connections believe she has a chance of closing that gap.

"She needs to step up again but she might do, she's training well," warned trainer Richard Fahey.

"I thought she ran well first time, it was a good solid run. A bit of ease in the ground won't bother her."

Fellow three-year-old Tapisserie is another seeking a second Listed victory of the season, having landed the Eternal Stakes at Carlisle in June.

"She's got a chance in an open race," said trainer William Haggas. "She's improving, she has a nice draw and I hope they have a bit of rain."

Pick of the older runners in a race won by a four-year-old in three of the last four years may be Perfection, who was a close second in a 7f Group 3 at Goodwood last time.

"She's in good form and she ran well at Goodwood," said trainer David O'Meara. "I think she'll be okay dropping back in trip, she was seventh in the Wokingham over six furlongs and she'd have been a lot closer with a clear run there."

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