James Doyle is weighing a difficult decision ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, as he must choose between Wathnan Racing’s promising colts, Shareholder and Aesterius. After guiding Karl Burke’s Royal Ascot hero Shareholder through a gallop at Southwell on Thursday, Doyle admitted it won’t be easy to pick which of the two to ride in the high-stakes race.
Shareholder, who triumphed in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, hasn’t raced much since, with his only subsequent start being a disappointing run in the six-furlong Prix Morny. Meanwhile, Archie Watson’s Aesterius has been on an upward trajectory, winning three of his four races since Ascot, including the Group Two Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
Both colts are set for the five-furlong Juvenile Turf event in California, where they will follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Big Evs. Doyle, the retained rider for Wathnan Racing, is still undecided, saying, "It’s not an easy decision, but a nice one to have. I’ll leave it as late as possible before deciding."
Doyle has been pleased with both horses' recent preparations, including Aesterius’ anti-clockwise gallop at Kempton and Shareholder’s solid workout on the Southwell Tapeta. He praised their readiness, noting that their upcoming American test will be unlike any they’ve faced before.
Despite the challenge of choosing between the two talented colts, Doyle remains optimistic about their potential, concluding, "They’ve done a good job so far for myself and Wathnan, and anything else they do this year will be a bonus."