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Breeders Cup: Top jockey Hollie Doyle 'gutted' by wide draw for sprint star Bradsell

Doyle has her work cut out to overcome the outside post 12 in the 724,000 5f contest at Del Mar on Saturday, in which husband Tom Marquand starts from 11 on Big Evs

[Hollie Doyle was disappointed with the draw for Breeders' Cup mount Bradsell]

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Hollie Doyle was disappointed with the draw for Breeders' Cup mount Bradsell(Image: PA)

Hollie Doyle says she felt gutted when the draw came out for the Breeders Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Saturday.

The top jockey makes her third appearance at the championships aiming to record her first win on top British sprinter Bradsell in the 724,000 contest.

Bradsell, winner of the Kings Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, has added two more Group 1 victories, including the Nunthorpe Stakes, in 2024 and was second in the Prix de lAbbaye last time out.

He will have to overcome the outside post 12 to triumph in California, but he has Big Evs, ridden by Doyles husband Tom Marquand, alongside him in 11 and the outstanding favourite Cogburn, who starts from nine.

I was a bit gutted when I woke up to that news, Doyle told the Breakfast at the Breeders Cup show.

Obviously you have to make the most of every situation, try to find a way around it and hopefully we will.

Cogburn seems to be an out and out frontrunner, no matter what, so its not a bad thing that hes been drawn to near enough to me and Big Evs also who has loads of gate speed. We just have to get off to the best start we can and see where we land.

She continued: Bradsell has had a long hard year and had some hard races. It was testing ground in Longchamp last time but I sat on him yesterday and hes just turned inside out again. He copes with everything so well and hes enjoying the sun.

[Bradsell: exercising at Del Mar ahead of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint]

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Bradsell: exercising at Del Mar ahead of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint(Image: Getty Images)

Del Mar is the first stop in a hectic travel schedule for Doyle who will head to Australia straight after the Breeders Cup to ride in the Melbourne Cup and then fly to Japan with husband Tom.

Ive been searching for a ride in the Melbourne Cup for quite a few weeks, she said. Nothing was coming to a head so a few days ago I knocked it one the head and decided to book my flight to go straight to Japan.

The Bendigo Cup was the last trial race. Harry Eustace texted me an hour before this race, If this wins, do you fancy coming to ride him and I said, Yes please.

I stayed up and watched Sea King. He was pretty dominant so Im going to Melbourne. I hopefully fly out on Saturday night, arrive Monday morning, ride Tuesday and leave early Wednesday morning to go to Japan.

Its just great that Harry and the owners have reached out to me. I have had a bit of success for the owners a few years ago in Saudi Arabia in the Neom Turf Cup so its great that we can get back together.

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