Hollie Doyle dreams of History in the Melbourne Cup

Star English jockey Hollie Doyle has done her homework on past Melbourne Cups in a quest to become only the second woman to win the great race.

English jockey Hollie Doyle has done her homework on past Melbourne Cups in a quest to become only the second woman to win the great race.

Doyle, set to be the first international female jockey to ride in the Cup, excluding Kiwis Maree Lyndon (20th, 1987) and Lisa Cropp (9th, 2007), will partner Future History on Tuesday.

Doyle landed in Melbourne on Monday with husband and fellow jockey Tom Marquand.

They secured three rides apiece at Flemington on Tuesday, however, Marquand missed out on a Cup mount with only five horses above 55kg.

“I’ve done a fair amount of research on the track and watched hundreds of renewals of the Cup but it seems to be a unique track and anything can happen,” Doyle said.

.@GatorGately is bullish on the chances of Future History in the Melbourne Cup! pic.twitter.com/phas1gLHRa

— TAB (@tabcomau) November 5, 2023

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“They (winners) can come from anywhere, seemingly, so it just depends on the pace.”

It is understood Doyle and Marquand were able to walk the track on Monday afternoon.

Doyle, a natural lightweight, is excited to ride Future History at 50kg.

“It’s great to be here, I’m really lucky to have picked up the ride on Future History, such a live chance,” Doyle said.

“It would be pretty epic if I could manage (to win), but we’ll have to see.

“On paper he seems to have all the credentials for this race, he needs to take another step.

“His win in The Bart Cummings was pretty dominant and obviously the run at Moonee Valley in the Gold Cup was very solid considering how tight the track is from a bad draw.”

Future History, one of five Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Cup starters, is rated a $19 chance.

Husband and wife jockeys Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle. Photo: John Walton / PA Images

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Maher and Eustace astutely booked Doyle to ride Wahine Toa in the 2800m race on Tuesday’s undercard.

“It’s really good to get that ride to experience the track over that distance,” Doyle said.

Marquand, dubbed “Aussie Tom” after successful stints in Sydney, has Berkshire Breeze, a $6 chance, on Tuesday in race six.

“I was hoping to come down and pick up a Melbourne Cup ride but it’s not an easy game,” Marquand said.

“I’d say (Berkshire Breeze is) is a fair bullet to fire at the target.”

Doyle, one of three women to ride in the Cup on Tuesday along with Jamie Kah (More Felons) and Rachel King (Military Mission), is open to suggestions for an Aussie nickname.

“My family call me ‘the Pocket Rocket’ but I’m not sure I want that to stick,” Doyle laughed.

Originally published as Hollie Doyle dreams of History in the Melbourne Cup