“It’s a good feeling to take a horse to the races and know he or she will give you optimum performance win, lose or draw,” was the quote from trainer Nathan Doyle after Rush Attack’s gutsy win in Saturday’s Midway at Rosehill Gardens. “He puts in every time.” Nathan’s assessment is based on the fact that the four year old has posted three wins and three seconds from six starts since joining his stable last July. Rush Attack had previously raced eight times for Annabel Neasham, winning a Super Maiden at Mudgee and posting a second placing at Queanbeyan.
Nathan opted to keep Rush Attack “off broadway” for his first run which resulted in an easy BM58 win at Kempsey with Ben Osmond claiming 2kgs. The gelding followed that with consecutive seconds at Newcastle and Wyong before winning again in a BM64 at Newcastle with Ashley Morgan on board. Following a “freshen” Rush Attack missed by only half a head to run Lease down in a BM68 at Newcastle with Braith Nock in the saddle.
That was his profile coming into Saturday’s Midway, his first appearance on a Sydney metro track. With Ashley Morgan committed to Mogwai for the Robert and Luke Price stable, Nathan was delighted to gain the services of the startlingly in form Zac Lloyd. When Rush Attack got home in the opening race, who could have imagined it would be the first of five winners for the emerging superstar. Stewards later spoiled the party for Zac when they outed him for five meetings after finding him guilty of careless riding on his third winner Step Aside.
Despite drawing well in gate 4, Rush Attack was unable to get in and was obliged to race three deep throughout. At the halfway mark Promitto led from Pretty Tavi with Mogwai third fence on the inside of Pretty Sassy and Rush Attack on a limb. In his post race interview with Greg Radley on Sky Thoroughbred Central young Zac appeared slightly embarrassed that he’d been trapped three wide from a good draw. “When I realised I was trapped there I had little option but to stay put and concentrate on getting him into a good rhythm,” said the young jockey. “Rush Attack travelled well to the turn and had plenty of petrol in the tank as we straightened up. He never stopped trying down the straight and was able to get home narrowly from It’s A Wonder and Promitto. He’s a genuine horse.”
After a three wide run Rush Attack (centre) holds off It's A Wonder (K. McEvoy) to win Saturday's Midway - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Interestingly the four year old is the first horse Nathan has had the pleasure to train for the respected Tricolours Racing Syndication operation. Founded by James Moss in 2016, the company has enjoyed notable success with a steady flow of winners prepared by a range of trainers. James named his company after the favourite NRL team of his late father Jack. The Eastern Suburbs Club was founded in 1908 but changed its brand to the Sydney City Roosters in 1995, and in 2000 to the Sydney Roosters. The club’s red, white and blue livery inspired the popular name of the “Tricolours” among fans and media contributors. It seemed a perfect fit when James was contemplating names for his new syndication company nine years ago.
Nathan Doyle is doing his best to keep the lid on the bubbling torrent of media hype around his brilliant three year old Private Harry. That hype was further fuelled by the colt’s massively impressive barrier trial win at Rosehill on February 18th. Having his first outing since his demolition job on the opposition in the inaugural Sunlight Plate on the Sunny Coast early in the New Year. Private Harry contested a 1000m open trial on the course proper against some slippery opposition - Sunshine In Paris, Royal Patronage, Amelia’s Jewel and Kimochi included. He flew the gate as is his custom and quickly glided across to lead. He turned for home a couple of lengths clear of Sunshine in Paris and maintained that margin right to the line with zero encouragement from Ashley Morgan.
The third of Private Harry's four wins to date - a 3yo BM72 at Rosehill 07/12/2024 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Nathan Doyle sums it up by simply saying that the son of Harry Angel is an uncomplicated racehorse. “He can be a little boisterous at home from time to time but from the moment he gets off the truck at the races, he’s perfectly behaved and focused on nothing but the job at hand,” said the trainer. “It’s hard to believe he’s had only four starts to date. He begins like a flash, has any amount of speed if needed, his action is energy conserving and there’s obviously a very big motor under the bonnet. We’ll find out how big on March 22nd when he lines up in the Gr1 Galaxy. He’ll have one more barrier trial either at Newcastle on March 5th or Rosehill on March 6th. If I think a trip away from home will be of benefit he’ll go down to Rosehill.”
For a horse who won his maiden as recently as November a leap to Gr 1 class at just his fifth race start might seem a tough assignment. When you consider Private Harry’s attributes it’s not hard to understand why Nathan Doyle believes he deserves a crack at the elite level so early in his career. He’s all but bomb proof and will carry the featherweight of 50kgs. If Ashley Morgan needs to lose a kilo or two, he’ll do it with pleasure. Three year olds have had a fairly commanding presence in the Galaxy, with a total of nineteen winners since the inception of the race in 1972. Between 1992 and 2010 there were twelve three year old winners of the prestigious sprint. The last of the age group to win was Russian Revolution in 2017.
Nathan Doyle and Ashley Morgan are both looking to Private Harry to provide their maiden Gr. 1 wins - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Nathan has 41 horses in work at Newcastle which for now is his maximum capacity. He’s looking forward to the return of four year old mare Wooloowin who impressed with a second to Triple Tempo in a Rosehill barrier trial two weeks ago. This daughter of Capitalist has won four of her seven starts to date - Gosford, Kembla, Kensington and a very soft win in a fillies and mares Cl 4 on the Sunny Coast. She provided the first leg of a double for the stable a few races before Private Harry won the $1 million dollar Sunlight Plate.
He also anxiously awaits the return of unbeaten three year old filly Churchill’s Choice who put together three consecutive wins before Christmas. She went from a Scone maiden to a Cl 1 at Newcastle to a 1600m BM72 at Randwick in quick succession. In the latter win she stormed home from last of nine on the corner to easily account for Fiddler’s Green and Bright Red. Nathan immediately sent her to the paddock for a three week break and was delighted with the way she looked on returning to the stable. Churchill’s Choice will trial in three weeks.
Nathan’s excitement about Harlem Queen’s upcoming autumn campaign is completely understandable. This daughter of Brutal was one of the most progressive three year old fillies in the land last spring going from maiden to Gr 1 class in next to no time. She won a Newcastle maiden on Sept 3rd, and a Cl 1 at Kembla eleven days later. Nathan’s judgement was vindicated when she beat all but the flying Lady Shenandoah in the Gr 1 Flight Stakes. Her rate of improvement escalated to the extent that she was beaten under two lengths into fourth place in the Gr 1 Spring Champion Stakes, prompting the trainer to give her a crack at the prestigious Victoria Oaks. With Blake Shinn on board Harlem Queen ran a mighty race. She was no match for dominant winner Treasurethe Moment but was breathing down the necks of the placegetters to wind up fourth just over three lengths from the winner.
Here's Harlem Queen (Kerrin McEvoy) winning her maiden at Newcastle 03/09/2024. One month later she beat all but Lady Shenandoah in the Gr. 1 Flight Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
In Wooloowin, Churchill’s Choice and Harlem Queen, Nathan Doyle has a trio of talented mares to campaign over the Sydney autumn. Saturday’s dogged winner Rush Attack will go to another Midway in a fortnight’s time while rising star Private Harry will be kept under intense surveillance at the Doyle stables as he approaches a well deserved assignment at the elite level on Golden Slipper day. Both Nathan and Ashley Morgan are hoping Harry’s the horse to deliver a maiden Gr 1 for them both on March 22.
(Banner image - Rush Attack (centre) hangs on gamely to beat It's A Wonder (outside) and Promitto in The Midway - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)