Hollie Doyle shines as Witness Stand lifts Lennox Stakes

Hollie Doyle was at her brilliant best to steer Witness Stand to HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes success and give Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole a marquee Group Two victory at Goodwood.

There was early drama as Ralph Beckett’s race regular and leading fancy Kinross was withdrawn at the start after receiving a kick, while Ed Walker’s Royal Ascot winner Noble Champion was eased down and pulled up early into the piece.

However, Doyle avoided any complications as she latched Witness Stand on to the small cluster to go forward from start, always in the slipstream of customary front-runner Quinault and defending champion Audience.

It looked momentarily like Audience would recreate last year’s heroics, but the 25-1 winner found plenty in reserve inside the final furlong to gallop home two-and-three-quarter-lengths clear of William Haggas’ Lake Forest, the only runner to emerge from the chasing pack late on.

Insole said: “As a trainer you wait your whole life for a good horse and to win the Lennox is pretty incredible.

“We bought him for a hundred grand and felt he’d gone under the radar as there were higher offers for him that came our way afterwards. I already had this race in mind for him.

“It was his Chester run (second in a Listed race) that gave us the confidence to come here, and when I saw the rain this morning and the slower ground I knew it would be to his advantage.

“He’s in the Hungerford (at Newbury), but would have to carry a penalty now. I also put him in the Foret this morning.”