Glorious Goodwood: Hollie Doyle powers Trueshan to Goodwood Cup glory for second career Group One win
Hollie Doyle enjoyed a second career Group One success as she powered Alan King’s Trueshan to a decisive victory in the AL Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
A runaway winner on Champions Day at Ascot in October, the five-year-old made a promising start to the current campaign when runner-up to Japan at Chester in May before missing an intended appearance in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot due to unsuitable ground.
Trueshan instead contest the following week’s Northumberland Plate, where he was far from disgraced in finishing sixth under a huge weight, and everything fell perfectly into place for him on the Sussex Downs.
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With the rain-softened ground leading to the withdrawal of four-time Goodwood Cup hero Stradivarius, King’s charge was the 6-5 favourite to provide his multiple Grade One-winning trainer with a first top-level success on the Flat.
Trueshan raced keenly for much of the two-mile journey, but moved to the lead early in the home straight and saw off the brave effort of the largely-unconsidered 33-1 shot Away He Goes by just under four length.
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Doyle was full of praise for Trueshan. She told ITV: “He’s a superstar on this ground. I thought we were going very quick early on – he was quite free actually.
“He can be (like that), but I just thought I’d let him slide on to get off the lead and drop the bridle on me.
“(Then) the further I went, the better. He’s hit that rising ground and found another gear.
“It’s incredible. He’s been in my mind every day since Champions Day (winner of the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last year), when we could get back together – these are the days you do it for.”
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