James Doyle enjoyed a first Group 1 success as the retained rider for Wathnan Racing when steering Kind Of Blue to victory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.
Kind Of Blue joined relatives Deacon Blues and The Tin Man on the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes roll of honour when hanging on grimly to deny the rallying Swingalong and Flora Of Bermuda at Ascot on Saturday.
Purchased by Wathnan Racing after being narrowly denied by the reopposing Montassib in the Haydock Sprint Cup last month, Kind Of Blue was sent off a 10/1 chance with James Doyle in the saddle for the first time.
James Fanshawe's colt travelled strongly throughout the six-furlong Group 1 prize, but after striking the front inside the final furlong, he was forced to dig deep by the pursuers Swingalong and Flora Of Bermuda. Karl Burke's filly lunged late to make things interesting but Kind Of Blue, who had been denied by a head at Haydock, this time had enough in reserve to prevail by the same margin.
Flora Of Bermuda finished a further neck away in third for Andrew Balding and newly crowned champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
"He was tough," James Doyle told ITV Racing. "There is no better man to prepare a champion sprint winner here at Ascot than James. The team have done an incredible job and a special thank you to Daniel Muscutt who has been a massively important part of this horse's life. He's done incredible things in a short period of time, but Daniel was impeccable and showed all his qualities, he talked me through how to ride the horse and I can't speak highly enough of the chap."
Doyle, who was enjoying his first top-level victory for owners Wathnan Racing since being appointed their retained rider, added: "We were hoping this Group 1 winner would come this year, we've had some near misses, but we've had to wait until fairly late in the season to get one. We've had some ups and downs but it's nice to get a Group 1 winner for the team."
Winning trainer James Fanshawe said: "I'm grateful to QIPCO for putting this whole meeting on and really grateful to The Tin Man, Deacon Blues and now Kind Of Blue family, the Hoppers and the Morrises who bred all of them. This is the third sprinter to have won one of these races here and it's some achievement. He's a really, really improving colt. It was a team effort to get him here. He's really going the right way. The last furlong seemed a long way in front but he's a very talented sprinter."
It was yet again more agony for the Karl Burke-trained Swingalong. "I'm delighted with the filly but three seconds in Group 1's in a year is a bit frustrating," said Burke.
"Before the day I was just hoping she'd run her race. Two furlongs out I thought, surely, we'll get there. Then I thought I was beaten, then she was coming again at the death. She just doesn't know when to give in. Once she's in that rhythm, she doesn't stop, whatever the ground is.
"It's a good question as to whether she stays in training - it will be up to the owner. Whatever he decides to do. She's done enough to go off to the paddocks; if she had won today, I'd have said pack her in. But there's no reason why she can't go on another season physically - she's a very sound filly, touch wood. It's the owner's choice and I wouldn't like to recommend either way."
