'The best I've sat on and there's more to come' - Doyle's high hopes for Nashwa

Hollie Doyle hit the headlines on Sunday when making Classic history on Nashwa, but the record-breaking jockey is already dreaming of more top-level success with the Prix de Diane winner and firmly believes the best is still to come.

After becoming the first female jockey to win a Group 1 European Classic at Chantilly, it was a case of back to reality on Monday as Doyle was preparing for three rides at Wolverhampton's evening meeting, having spent the majority of the morning replying to hundreds of congratulatory messages and doing her best to accommodate dozens of interview requests.

Not for the first time in her career, Doyle did her bit to push racing to the front pages of the papers with Sunday's win in France but there was no way she was going to let the part Nashwa played in the landmark success be forgotten.

"Nashwa is an absolute dream," said the 25-year-old. "She's got a great mentality and is everything you want really. She takes everything in her stride and is very relaxed, which is what you need, especially with all the travelling she did to get there yesterday.

"She's probably the best I've ever sat on. As a team we've really thought a lot of her from day one. She got beat at Newmarket first time out but despite the result, I came in like a Cheshire cat because I thought I've found a good one here, and she just flourished over the winter."

Nashwa had no problem backing up her third-place finish in the Oaks at Epsom just 16 days previously but John Gosden, who trains the three-year-old in partnership with his son Thady, said on Sunday he is keen to give her time to recuperate over the summer, with the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on October 2 a potential target for the second half of the season.

Hollie Doyle: 'It's been a long week but a great week'Credit: Scott Burton/Racing Post

Nashwa's owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar, who retains Doyle's services in the saddle, has already stated Nashwa will stay in training at four and her rider believes that is when we will see the best of her.

She added: "Physically there's still a lot more to come and hopefully she can get bigger and stronger. She's still quite unfurnished and we've always thought she was going to be better next year. With the head she's got between her ears, it's not like she's going to go the wrong way."

Knowing a filly as good as Nashwa will be around for at least the next season and a half, plying her trade at the highest level, is music to Doyle's ears and reward for the near 600 rides she has already racked up in Britain this year.

"You work towards trying to come across one like that," she said. "All credit to John and Thady, because running in two Classics within 16 days of each other takes a bit of doing. I know people back horses up but not often at that level and it was an incredible training performance."

Doyle was back home in Hungerford with husband Tom Marquand, who finished seventh in the Diane aboard Zellie, by 8.30pm on Sunday evening but there were no wild celebrations with a trip to Wolverhampton on the horizon.

Nevertheless, Doyle, who rode 172 winners in Britain last year and was third in the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was delighted with her week's work, having also notched her third success at Royal Ascot aboard Coventry Stakes scorer Bradsell last Tuesday.

John Gosden, along with son Thady, provided Hollie Doyle with her first Classic winCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Any jockey dreams of riding Classic winners," she said. "I thought it could happen on Sunday and when she won I was lost for words. It's been a long week but a great week.

"If it wasn't for my job with Imad Al Sagar I'm not sure I'd have ever come across an opportunity like that in my career. To be associated with the top trainers has given me an opportunity to showcase my riding.

"If you'd have told me two or three years ago I'd have been riding in a Classic for John Gosden, I'd have said you're mad and it was mad!"

The reaction to Sunday's win could also be described as mad, with Doyle making the ITV evening news on Sunday night as congratulatory messages rained in from far and wide.

She said: "It's really humbling to see how many people are behind me and are happy to see me have success like this."

Read these next:

'Horses just run for her' – high praise for Hollie Doyle from fellow riders

Hollie Doyle wins 'incredible' first Classic on French Oaks heroine Nashwa

A new high: Doyle becomes first female rider to land Group 1 Classic in Europe (£)

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

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