Godolphin Homebred Highland Avenue Takes Kempton’s Road To The Kentucky Derby Stakes

Highland Avenue, a 3-year-old son of Dubawi, captured Wednesday's Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes at Kempton Park in the UK to earn 20 points on the European road to the roses. The Godolphin homebred, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden to victory by Hollie Doyle, won the one-mile contest over synthetic with a last-to-first run to score by 1 3/4 lengths.

It was one of five wins on the night for Doyle, tying her own record as the first female jockey to ride five winners on the same British card.

Reflecting on the five-timer, Doyle told track publicity: “It's great as these things don't happen very often so you have got to make the most of them.

“I seem to do quite well here but I've had some good rides here today. Charlie Appleby's horse has got a lot of potential and I thought if I get beat on that I will give up!

“I thought Archie's should go close and to be honest when I spoke to Tony he filled me full of confidence with all three of his rides. You just need a bit of luck and I have had that. My agent has done me a good job in getting a good book of rides.

“I'm never satisfied with what I have done and I always want to achieve more and when you get on these sort of runs you always want to do better.”

The victory puts the Godolphin colt atop the leaderboard with two races to go, with the top-earning colt offered a spot in the starting gate for the May 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The March 5 Patton Stakes at Dundalk in Ireland also offers 20-8-4-2 points and the April 1 Cardinal Condition Stakes at Chelmsford City will settle matters with the awards on the 30-12-6-3 scale.

Highland Avenue is two-for-two this season, both victories coming over Kempton's synthetic course.

Appleby, speaking away from Kempton, told track publicity: “He is very much a work in progress sort of horse. He is a big raw horse and Hollie has given him a lovely ride. He was a bit slow from the gate and he just missed the beat there. They've gone a nice sensible gallop and he has picked up well. He is a horse that we hold in high regard.

“I'm pleased as well in the fact that he made all last time and he has come from behind tonight so he is learning on the job. I think he is going to be a nice horse for the season.

“He has got a few entries as everyone can see (2,000 Guineas and Irish Derby), but he is one of those horses that we will see how he comes out of it before making a forward plan for him.

“Whatever he does in the first half of the year is going to be a bonus as he is a second half of the season type of horse with very much a four-year-old career ahead of him.”

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