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Hollie Doyle eyes IJC breakthrough

Hollie Doyle has quickly settled back into life in Hong Kong and is eyeing an International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) victory on 10 December to repay the faith shown in her by the organisers of the annual extravaganza. “I’ve been second [twice] and third [in the IJC], and I haven’t actually won it yet. So I’m really lucky that they keep giving me the opportunity to try again,” Doyle said. “It would mean a lot [to win the IJC] because The Hong Kong Jockey Club have been extremely good to me over the last few years, and it would be lovely to win it.” Doyle, the most successful female jockey in British racing history, finished joint-second with the world’s top-ranked jockey, James McDonald, last year. She also shared second place in 2021, finishing level with Mickael Barzalona, McDonald again and her husband, Tom Marquand, on that occasion. In addition to McDonald (New Zealand) and last year’s winner Barzalona (France), Doyle will compete against fellow Great Britain representatives Ryan Moore (subject to fitness) and William Buick, Joao Moreira (Brazil), Christophe Lemaire (Japan), Umberto Rispoli (USA), Rachel King (Australia) and three of Hong Kong’s top jockeys, headed by Zac Purton.