JAMES Doyle will get back aboard Pinatubo in Sunday’s mouthwatering Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.
The top jock was in the saddle when Charlie Appleby’s colt won at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood last season.
William Buick took over on his return from injury in the National Stakes at the Curragh and has been his regular rider since then.
But, with Buick now able to partner Appleby’s stable star Ghaiyyath in the Irish Champion Stakes next Saturday following a change to quarantine protocols in Ireland, Doyle is playing the role of super sub.
Appleby said: “We are in a very privileged position to have two retained world-class jockeys in James and William.
“We have looked at the logistics of it all and hopefully how it’s going to work out. James is going to France on Sunday to ride Pinatubo, who he knows equally as well as William.
“James rode him during the week and was very pleased with him.
“We have Doncaster next week, so we felt it was right William could ride for us there on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then with the new HRI protocols put in place, he will be now able to to go to travel and ride on Irish Champions Weekend.”
Sunday’s race has attracted a small but select field, with Siskin, Victor Ludorum, Circus Maximus, Persian King and Romanised in opposition.
As an elite athlete, Doyle will only need to self-isolate for eight days rather than 14 when he returns to the UK, provided he passes two Covid-19 tests. He will miss the entire St Leger meeting but it’s a sacrifice he is willing to make.
Doyle said: “I haven’t ridden Pinatubo since Goodwood last year, so it will be great to get back on board.
“I sat on him on Wednesday morning and he seems in good shape. There’s only the six runners on Sunday, but I think they’ve won 14 Group 1s between them, so it’s a pretty strong renewal to say the least.
“It would be great to get that Group 1 win over a mile with him.
“You have to take these opportunities in these big races. I’ll be having a week off when I come back from France, but if any horse is worth it, you’d think it would be Pinatubo.”
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