Facteur Cheval just held off the late lunge of Japanese challenger Namur to win the Dubai Turf, in which Lord North was unplaced in search of his fourth win in the race.

Trained in France by Jerome Reynier, the winner was last seen finishing second to his compatriot Big Rock in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day.

It has previously been suggested that Facteur Cheval needed soft ground to be seen at his best, as he arguably showed his top form in testing conditions when second to Paddington in the Sussex Stakes, but he showed his versatility on this occasion.

Hollie Doyle somehow managed to get Nashwa to the front from her wide draw in stall 14 but with a furlong to run, she had run her race.

Her John and Thady Gosden stablemate Lord North looked threatening at one point but age may have finally caught up with the eight-year-old as he found disappointingly little.

Measured Time burst through with a challenge on the inside and briefly hit the front but Facteur Cheval and Namur came powering down the centre of the track.

The pair crossed the line together but it was Facteur Cheval and Maxime Guyon who got the verdict on the nod.

“He’s amazing because he’s just as good when the ground is heavy or soft,” said Guyon

“But he’s never been the same as he was today. The turn of foot he showed was better than he’s ever shown.”

In the closing stages, Christophe Lemaire suffered a nasty fall from Catnip and was stretchered off the track and taken to hospital for observation.

Whilst most sports are now moving to develop and promote their women’s game independently of the men’s, racing has the rare distinction of allowing both sexes to compete directly against one another.

The majority of jockeys are male, but there has been breakthrough after breakthrough in the women’s ranks and responsible for much of that progress is the great talent of Hollie Doyle.

Doyle is not just a supreme female jockey, but a leading rider regardless of gender and is one of only a handful of jockeys to enjoy a retained role as the go-to for Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud.

It is aboard their star mare Nashwa that she has enjoyed great success in recent seasons, winning three Group Ones and collecting several placings at the top level in a career that looks set to continue when the Flat season really starts next month.

John and Thady Gosden train Nashwa but Doyle is the stable jockey for Archie Watson, for whom she has registered countless victories aboard big names such as Glen Shiel, Outbox and last year’s Royal Ascot scorer Bradsell.

With a stable jockey position and a retainer, Doyle could be expected to take only a limited book of outside rides, but her CV proves she is in demand whenever available and she is the rider associated with Alan King’s top stayer Trueshan.

Her status would also grant her the right to sit out the lower quality meetings and choose not to travel the length and breadth of the country for all-weather rides, but Doyle is arguably one of the hardest-working riders in the weighing room and took just shy of 800 rides last year in Britain alone.

During the window that determines the British Flat jockeys’ championship, she rode 89 winners last season, finishing fifth behind William Buick, Oisin Murphy, Rossa Ryan and her husband, Tom Marquand.

In addition to that, she has plied her trade in almost every significant racing jurisdiction that exists and last year brought home prize money from Japan, France, Germany, Sweden and Italy – something she does not take for granted.

“I get loads of support from everyone and it’s really nice to feel that I have such an open book of trainers that are willing to use me,” she said.

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“It is great to have the association I have with Imad Al Sagar and it’s even better that Nashwa is in training for another year, and that’s something to look forward to for the season ahead already.

“I’m really lucky, I’m attached to Archie’s stable and always busy in that regard, he has a nice team of horses to go forward with.

“I’ve been riding all around the world, I did a stint in Japan and I thoroughly enjoyed that – it’s something I’ll be hoping to do a lot more of.

“It’s great as it’s always hard to go to a new jurisdiction and pick up some good rides, you have to take it all in and adapt to the style of racing riding there.”

Hayley Turner broke many barriers at a time when there was some reluctance to use female jockeys, with her success then paving the way for younger riders like Doyle.

“Hayley was a massive trailblazer for everyone, especially when I was young and she was really at the peak of her career,” she said.

“She definitely carved out a path and that’s had an impact on us all.”

Hollie Doyle will miss the ride on Bradsell at next week’s Breeders’ Cup meeting after failing in her appeal against the severity of a careless riding ban.

Doyle incurred a seven-day suspension for her ride aboard the Jonathan Portman-trained Rose Light in the Unibet More Boosts In More Races Fillies’ Handicap at Kempton last week, being found to have cut across a number of rivals in the early stages of the 11-furlong contest, causing them to be tightened for racing room.

The British Horseracing Authority’s independent disciplinary panel heard Doyle’s appeal on Thursday morning, with the jockey contesting the length of the ban rather than the riding offence itself.

After hearing submissions from Charlotte Davison, who was representing the BHA, and Rory Mac Neice for Doyle, the panel concluded the original penalty should stand, meaning Doyle will be suspended on November 4, when Bradsell is due to run in the Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Rachel Spearing, the panel’s chair, said: “We do accept there was corrective action taken by Miss Doyle, but the reality was unfortunately the situation had been caused. We can see from the footage interference does take place and it is, in our view, significant.

“We find interference was foreseeable, it was serious and it is appropriate to fall within the careless riding (penalty) of five to 14 days. We note she was provided with a seven-day suspension and we see no reason to interfere with those days.

“We have concluded this wasn’t a frivolous appeal and in those circumstances agree to return the deposit.”

Hollie Doyle’s appeal against a seven-day suspension will be heard by a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel next week and is set to determine if she can ride at the Breeders’ Cup.

Doyle incurred the ban aboard the Jonathan Portman-trained Rose Light in the Unibet More Boosts In More Races Fillies’ Handicap at Kempton on Monday evening, with the rider found to have cut across a number of rivals in the early stages of the 11-furlong contest.

The stewards report on the night read: “Doyle was suspended for seven days for careless riding as she allowed her mount to shift right-handed when insufficiently clear of Flying Circus on her inside, causing (Neil) Callan to take a significant check to avoid clipping heels which resulted in Sindri, Page Three and Typical Woman to all be tightened for room and lose their respective racing positions on the inside.”

Doyle’s ban is currently due to run from October 30 to November 4, plus November 6 as there is no Flat racing in Britain on November 5.

If she is successful in having the punishment reduced to five days or less, she would then be free to ride Bradsell in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on November 4.

Adrian Keatley’s Wobwobwob was a winner worth waiting for as he landed a huge gamble to take the Virgin Bet Ayr Silver Cup.

The five-year-old delayed the race whilst being re-shod at the start and then left the stalls the 9-2 favourite after clearly inspiring confidence in connections and punters alike.

Hollie Doyle was aboard and ensured their faith was repaid as she stuck to her guns down the middle of the track and threw down a challenge with a furlong remaining.

At the half-furlong marker the duo still had to pass Michael Dods’ Tinto but did so with a handful of strides remaining to seal a half-length victory.

“It was a muddling old race, everyone was swapping and changing pitches,” Doyle told ITV Racing.

“He didn’t jump as sharp as I’d like, he’s usually a front runner but obviously he couldn’t go the pace today but he’s just outstayed them. He’s knuckled down and was tough.

“It’s a different way of racing for him and a different style, it was good to see him stepping back down in trip. He’s just outstayed them on this slow ground.

“As you can see, he’s a bit of a legend and his owners love him to bits!”

Keatley added of the victory: “It’s a good race to win, the Gold Cup is on my bucket list so it’s nice to get that one today.

“We were on the right side of the track and we’d something to aim at, that was the big thing.”

Revich got up in the shadow of the post to win the Virgin Bet Handicap two years after winning it previously and having finished third in it 12 months ago.

Doyle was on board for Richard Spencer and owners Middleham Park Racing and said: “I didn’t really plan to be that far back but I couldn’t have gone much quicker, the pace was quite genuine and he dug deep when it’s mattered.

“He clearly thrives here and he loves this type of ground, it’s quite tiring.”

Augustus Rodin rose from the canvass once again to hold off Luxembourg and Nashwa and win the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Despite being a dual Derby winner, Aidan O’Brien’s Deep Impact colt had run two inexplicably bad races this season.

Having disappointed badly in the 2000 Guineas, O’Brien worked his magic to get him back in top form to win at Epsom. He was then workmanlike in winning the Irish Derby, before being virtually pulled up in the King George at Ascot.

But it is folly to write off O’Brien and his horses, and dropped back down to 10 furlongs Auguste Rodin was sent off the 11-4 favourite.

Up against Derby runner-up King Of Steel, last year’s winner Luxembourg and multiple Group One scorer Nashwa, punters kept the faith.

With three Ballydoyle runners at the head of affairs they had the run of the race, while Hollie Doyle only had Jim Crowley and Alflaila for company at the rear of the field.

Auguste Rodin quickened by Luxembourg as Point Lonsdale weakened, with Doyle making relentless progress on John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa.

Ryan Moore was asking for everything on the favourite, and in the last 50 yards Nashwa’s run flattened out and it was Luxembourg who had one last lunge on the rails, going down by half a length with Nashwa a short head away.

Hollie Doyle, Saffie Osborne and Hayley Turner produced a superb team effort to lift the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the Ladies at Ascot – where Doyle was crowned leading rider following two victories.

Japanese ace Kazuo Yokoyama had made it the perfect start for the Rest Of The World with a win in the opening Shergar Cup Dash aboard Rogue Lightning, but while the outfit that also comprised Matthew Chadwick and Joao Moreira stayed competitive all afternoon and led going into the last race, it was the Ladies who ultimately won the day.

The all-important victory came through Osborne and Ed Walker’s 7-2 favourite Dark Trooper in the concluding Shergar Cup Sprint, where Doyle was fourth with Washington Heights. That left the Ladies on 78 points in the final standings, from the Rest of the World on 73.

Doyle sat atop the jockeys’ standings on 48 points, with Osborne – who also won two races – tied with Chadwick on 30 points.

It is rare that husband and wife jockeys ride against each other in a top-class race, and it is rarer still that they ride for the same trainer.

Yet that is the prospect facing Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle when they oppose each other in the Group One Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

Doyle is on the much-fancied Nashwa for owner Imad Al Sagar, while Marquand will sport the famous pink and green Juddmonte colours aboard Coppice, with both trained by John and Thady Gosden.

For racing’s ‘golden couple’, it is business as normal, as Doyle explained: “I’m obviously only riding because of Imad’s retainer, but it’s good that Tom has picked up that good ride.

“Riding against him in a Group One for the same team is not something I’ve really thought about – it would never really cross my mind. It’s just another day at the office.”

Third in last year’s Oaks, Nashwa went on to give Doyle a first Classic success when taking the French equivalent at Chantilly before recording a second Group One success in the Nassau at Goodwood and excellent placed efforts in both France and America.

However, she has failed to really sparkle in her two starts this term, at Chantilly and Newcastle, and Doyle is hoping she will finally be ready to show her true colours as she drops back to a mile for the first time in eight starts since landing a Haydock novice in April last year.

“I think she has taken a time to come to hand,” added Doyle. “She is really big and has grown a lot over the winter. I just think she has taken a few runs to get straightened out, really.

“John and Thady are clearly happy with the way she has come out of Newcastle to run her back in the Falmouth. We will leave it to them – they usually do the right thing.”

Marquand replaces the suspended Frankie Dettori aboard Coppice, who followed up her Newcastle novice success with victory in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot.

He said: “Obviously it’s fantastic to pick up a ride of Coppice’s quality in a major Group One.

“She comes in off the back of an impressive performance at Ascot with Frankie and under unfortunate circumstances for him, I’ve been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to get aboard her, so hopefully she can continue along her progressive path.”

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owner Juddmonte, feels it is a “nice opportunity” for Coppice to test her mettle.

He said: “This is a huge step up in class, but she’s a nice filly and she won well at Ascot.

“She’s a filly that we have Group-race aspirations for so we will start here and see how we get on and if we have to lower her sights, then we can. She’s a filly who, if she could get third in a Group One, then that would be a nice result.”

The George Boughey-trained Via Sistina, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh just under two weeks ago, is a likely favourite but her participation hinges on some ease in the Newmarket ground.

Bookmakers see Ralph Beckett’s duo, Remarquee and last year’s winner Prosperous Voyage, as the biggest threats outside of Nashwa, with the former making her first outing for new owners Wathnan Racing on the back of her second to Tahiyra in the Coronation Stakes.

Meanwhile, defending champion Prosperous Voyage was a winner at Epsom before finishing third in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Ascot and returns to the scene of her finest hour with William Buick deputising for the suspended Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

“Hopefully the rain will hold off for her,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for Marc Chan, who owns the filly with Andrew Rosen.

“Her last two runs have been good and she goes into the race as well as she did last year, so you would have to be really hopeful.”

Saffie Osborne maintains her partnership with Ed Walker’s Random Harvest, having finished a place behind Prosperous Voyage at Epsom, but a place in front of that rival at Ascot, while Never Ending Story (Aidan O’Brien), Ameynah (Roger Varian) and Astral Beau (Pam Sly) complete the line-up.

Hollie Doyle gave Bradsell a brilliant ride to land a dramatic running of the King’s Stand Stakes, as the Archie Watson-trained colt earned a second Royal Ascot win in as many years.

Bradsell landed the six-furlong Coventry Stakes last term, yet had shown plenty of speed in his recent work and his trainer was able to persuade connections to supplement him for the five-furlong dash.

Doyle, gaining her fourth Royal Ascot success, was positive from the stalls aboard the three-year-old and had Highfield Princess for company throughout, in a race few ever really got into.

But it was not all plain sailing for Doyle and Watson, who had to survive a stewards’ inquiry as Bradsell – sent off a 14-1 chance – drifted left in the final furlong and intimidated 7-4 favourite Highfield Princess and jockey Jason Hart.

After an agonising deliberation by the stewards, it was a sweet success for Watson, who had to endure Dragon Symbol losing the 2021 Commonwealth Cup after an inquiry.

Doyle’s mount had three-quarters of a length to spare at the line, with 50-1 shot Annaf running a huge race to be third for Mick Appleby.

Hollie Doyle landed a Classic success when guiding Shavasana to victory in Sunday’s Oaks D’Italia Tattersalls at San Siro racecourse.

Stefano Botti’s filly, who had previously taken the Italian 1,000 Guineas in heavy ground under Cristian Demuro, travelled sweetly on her first try at a mile and three furlongs.

Doyle’s mount, a daughter of Gleneagles, took her unbeaten record to five in defeating 11-5 favourite View Zabeel by half a length in the Group Two contest.

It was a second Classic success for Doyle, having landed the French Oaks with Nashwa last summer.

Owned by Katsumi Yoshida, Shavasana was keen in landing the Italian Group Three 1,000 Guineas over a mile a Capannelle in Rome last month, and Doyle was not about to disappoint her this time.

Having enjoyed the run of the race from the front, she stayed on well to give the Herefordshire-born rider victory on her first visit to the Milan track.

Doyle said: “It was a great result. It all went to plan, really. She was stepping up from a mile and was very exuberant over a mile.

“She travels too well usually, but Mr Botti did not want me to get in a fight with her, so I just got her into a rhythm where she was happy. She ended up in front and stayed the trip well on the quick ground, which really helped the situation.

“She is a very talented filly and I got a soft lead on the front end, so hopefully there is more to come.

“I need a British Classic now! It’s great. The people here are so passionate and the people here were so welcoming. It was great to ride a winner, especially a Classic winner for Mr Katsumi Yoshida, who owns her now. He is a very influential person in Japan.

“I met him last year and had a tour of Northern Farms, which was a great day and it is great that I can ride him a winner like this.”