Trainer Nathan Doyle is only a newcomer to Group 1 racing but that’s exactly where he feels his promising three-year-old Harlem Queen belongs.
Trainer Nathan Doyle (Pic: Steve Hart).
The filly was his first runner at the top level when she finished second in the Flight Stakes three weeks ago and is out to go one better in the Group 1 $2 million Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
Six years ago Doyle trained his first winner, out at Dubbo, and he said having runners in these prestigious races during a spring carnival is what you dream of as a trainer starting out.
Harlem Queen was on the fourth line of betting at $6 with TAB on Wednesday for the three-year-old feature so that maiden Group 1 win doesn’t seem so far away.
“It’s something I always wanted to achieve, it feels good,’’ Doyle said.
“It’s good to have a horse with enough ability, and she always showed stakes class ability, so it’s good to get there.
“She was very strong through the line last start, I thought her last 100m was the best.”
While Lady Shenandoah had a good margin on Harlem Queen at the finish of the mile in the Flight, as Doyle mentioned he liked how she rallied and ran her final 200m in 11.73 (Punter’s Intelligence) which was just under the winner’s dash.
That tells him the 2000m should be right up he alley and he said she’ll be able to be ridden to how he feels will be to her advantage this time around.
“A small field and sit and sprint probably didn’t suit her, when Lady Shenandoah sprinted it just dropped everything,’’ he said.
“She was strong, she’s a clean winded horse and she should relish the 2000m by the looks of it.
“It looked like (Snow In May) put a length on her when they sprinted and she came back and put three quarters of a length on it.
“I think the gate will suit her, her best runs have been when she’s able to get to the outside and let roll into it.
“We were dictated to by circumstances in the Flight where we had to be third on the fence.”
Fillies have a handy recent record in the Spring Champion, while Yankee Rose became the first to win in 2016 she’s been quickly followed by Maid Of Heaven (2018) and Montefilia (2020).
Doyle, who has 41 horses in work at Newcastle, said Harlem Queen is on trial for an Oaks start if she can consolidate on her Group 1 debut.
It’s been a fast rise for the filly who started this campaign as a maiden, winning at that level then a Class 1 prior to going into the Flight, but the trainer always felt she was above average.
“She’s quite a big girl and she hit a heavy track at her first start and a soft in her second so we didn’t see her on top of the ground until she came back in that maiden,’’ he said.
“We always thought she’d be better on top of the ground.
“She’s probably showing more staying prowess than we first thought, but those horses with good ability probably show you plenty over those shorts trips as well early on. They’ve just naturally got it.
“The Oaks is definitely in the back of the mind but we’ve got to get through Saturday to show us that she can run the strong 2000m and that she pulls up well.”
Last year’s Everest winning jockey Sam Clipperton continues his association with Harlem Queen.
– Racing NSW
