Hollie Doyle: the rise from her debut success at 16 to a Classic-winning heroine

Hollie Doyle secured her first Classic success when Nashwa narrowly denied La Parisienne in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday. Here, we take a look at the key milestones in her already remarkable career.

After graduating from pony racing, Doyle scored with her very first ride under rules aboard The Mongoose at Salisbury in May 2013 and having served her apprenticeship with Richard Hannon, rode out her claim in 2017, ending the season with 59 winners from 516 rides.

Doyle forged an effective partnership with trainer Archie Watson and in 2019 she became only the third female rider in Britain to partner 100 Flat winners in a season, emulating Hayley Turner and Josephine Gordon.

She surpassed Gordon's record of 106 winners by ten and won three Listed contests that year, including the Prix Hampton with Shades Of Blue and Newmarket's Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes aboard Dame Malliot.

Doyle rose to new heights in 2020 and became only the third woman to ride a Royal Ascot winner when striking with Scarlet Dragon in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, before Dame Malliot provided her first Group success in the Princess of Wales's Tattersalls Stakes in July.

It was also a good season numerically. Doyle achieved a career-best return of 151 winners and rode a five-timer at Windsor in August, which included victory in the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes with Extra Elusive for Imad Al Sagar, to whom she became retained rider that summer.

The milestones did not stop there and Doyle had a British Champions Day to remember, winning the Long Distance Cup on Trueshan before claiming her first Group 1 aboard Glen Shiel in the Champions Sprint Stakes.

Hollie Doyle: secured her first British Group 1 aboard Glen ShielCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Outside of racing, Doyle gained widespread recognition when named the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and finishing third behind Lewis Hamilton and footballer Jordan Henderson in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

She picked up where she left off with a career-best return of 172 winners in 2021 and a number of big-race successes, including the Group 1 Goodwood Cup with Trueshan and valuable Amir Trophy.

This year, Doyle had her third ride in a British Classic with Nashwa, who finished third in the Oaks, before becoming the first female rider to win the Prix de Diane when the pair struck at Chantilly on Sunday.

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