The 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award nominee crowned an excellent year by winning the final race of the competition aboard Harmony N Blessed. It was a victory that placed her in third place overall. The overall title was won by Australia’s Zac Purton.
The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year had already broken her own record for the number of winners ridden by a British woman in a year, Doyle surpassed 116 wins in October, claiming her 117th on State Occasion at Kempton. Winning by a short head on the 2-1 favourite filly in a photo finish over runner-up Tornadic.
In a victory laden year, she also became the first women to have five winners at one meeting. At Windsor her five wins came in at odds of 899-1.
The International Jockeys’ Championship involves 12 of the world’s best jockeys competing over four races. Jockeys involved in this year’s competition include William Buick, Ryan Moore, Mickael Barzalona, Pierre-Charles Boudot, Joao Moreira and the winner Zac Purton who also won the 2017 edition.
The 12 riders battling against each other in four valuable handicaps with 12, six and four points awarded to the first three home in each race.
Zac Purton and Joao Moreira each rode one winner and one runner-up which left the pair level on points going into the final leg. Purton’s dead-heat third on Flying Bonus was enough to give him the points needed to land the £50,000 top prize.
Doyle is the third women to take part International Jockeys’ Championship after Emma-Jayne Wilson in 2007 and Chantal Sutherland in 2009 – but neither Wilson or Sutherland won a race. Doyle’s boyfriend, fellow jockey Tom Marquand finished third on Wind N Grass with Ryan Moore-ridden Grateful Heart in second.
Doyle said after the race, “It’s a huge privilege for Tom and I to be asked to ride here after a great season and it’s the icing on the cake”. Speaking about the win, she stated, “It’s absolutely unbelievable. I knew I had a good chance on this horse, but you need a lot of things to go right.”
Voting on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year will be open to the public during the Sports Personality programme on BBC One on Sunday, 20 December. Alongside Doyle, the other sports stars nominated are cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Hollie Doyle, boxer Tyson Fury, Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton, footballer Jordan Henderson and snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Lewis Hamilton is installed as firm favourite to win the prestigious award @2/5. Hollie Doyle is 5th favourite at 16/1. Other prices are; Ronnie O’Sullivan 4/1, Jordan Henderson 10/1, Tyson Fury 16/1. Stuart Broad and Jonathan Rea are outsiders at 100/1 and 500/1.
