Hollie Doyle loses top riding job to be replaced by champion jockey Oisin Murphy

Hollie Doyle has lost her job as number one rider to Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud.

Britain’s most successful female jockey, rider of more than 1,000 winners in Britain alone, became the first woman to win a Classic race when she captured the French Oaks, Prix de Diane, in 2022 on the Al Sagar-bred and owned filly Nashwa.

Doyle was ever-present on Nashwa, winning five out of 18 times, and earning more than £1.6 million in prize-money. Three of those successes were in Group 1 races as she added the Nassau and Falmouth Stakes before she retired in 2024.

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At the time Doyle said: “She came along at a pivotal time in my career and she has been a star for the stud, Imad and myself. She took my career to new heights and I’ll be forever thankful to her for that and I thank Imad for the opportunity.”

The 28-year-old was appointed Al Sagar’s first retained jockey in 2020, going on to ride 38 winners in the role. On her latest ride for the owner at Newbury on Friday she finished a neck second on Rouane in a novice’s race for two-year-old fillies.

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is aboard his next runner, Gamrai, in a maiden at Windsor on Monday for which the once-raced John and Thady Gosden-trained colt is set to start second favourite.

With some of the Al Sagar string trained by Andrew Balding, Murphy will ride as first jockey going forward when not required by Qatar Racing.

Al Sagar’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe told Mirror Online: “Imad was looking for a change, a slight change of strategy if you like.

“We’ve had five fantastic years with Hollie, with Nashwa being the highlight in the Prix de Diane.

“Oisin is one of the leading jockeys and I think Imad wanted to use his services if he could.

He continued: “Imad spoke to Hollie the other day. She’s been a big part of Blue Diamond and I hope will continue to be so.”