Doyle sticks with senior jockey for Le Val at Doomben

Gold Coast trainer Noel Doyle will stick with a senior jockey for Le Val who will carry the top weight in the $65,000 Queensland X-Ray Class 6 Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

Le Val will have to carry 59kg in the Class 6 Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Le Val will have to carry 59kg in the Class 6 Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Le Val went up to 59kg for this week’s assignment after winning with Timothy Bell first up with 58kg in $65,000 Tattersall’s Arcade 1MW Handicap (1110m) at Doomben three weeks ago.

Doyle didn’t consider reducing Le Val’s weight with an apprentices claim, saying that the five year old is a hard horse to handle and prefers a senior rider and has engaged top Brisbane jockey Michael Cahill.

“I know he has 59kg but he isn’t an apprentices’ horse,” Doyle told AAP.

“He is a big strong hard-going horse.”

Doyle has always held a very opinion of Le Val from his early days on the race track but constant injury concerns have prevented the Snitzel gelding from reaching his full potential.

“I never look too far ahead with him. As I said after he won his last start at Doomben I just wanted to get him home without anything else going wrong,” Doyle said.

“He just has so much ability and it is a crying shame he has been injured so often.”

“But I would still like to win a nice race with him.”

“Saturday’s race is just another step along the way. If things continue to go OK he is a Magic Millions horse and there are some rich races he can contest in January.”

Le Val is shares the second line of betting with Forgotten Years at $5 for the Tattersall’s Arcade 1MW Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The Tony Gollan trained Vienna Royale heads the market order at $4.60 following his two recent wins with Liam Birchley’s last start winner Headwater Country marked at $5.50.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.