Canny trainer Noel Doyle rides his luck with the talented Le Val

GOLD Coast veteran Noel Doyle fears his talented sprinter Le Val may be vulnerable as he bids to add another scalp to his formidable list of recent feature race wins.

Nathan Exelby

less than 2 min read

March 11, 2016 - 7:00PM

Noel Doyle is all smiles after Le Val wins at the Gold Coast. Picture: Jessica Hawkins. MUST CREDIT JESSICA HAWKINS

GOLD Coast veteran Noel Doyle fears his talented sprinter Le Val may be vulnerable as he bids to add another scalp to his formidable list of recent feature race wins.

Doyle, 72, moved to the Gold Coast from Toowoomba in 1975 and has lost count of the number of features he has won on his adopted home track.

“I think there’s three or four Kenny Russells, a couple of Prime Minister’s Cups and three Goldmarkets, plus a second in it this year,” Doyle said.

“It gives me a buzz to win a good race on my home track. It’s not like I specifically target those races, but it just seems to happen that way.”

Doyle only has a team of about 12 in work these days, but always manages to find a handy one. Since 2012, Doyle has won four stakes races on the Coast from 11 attempts, all at good odds — Celtic Dancer ($26), Le Val ($13), Biggles ($8) and Aimee ($3.70).

Le Val narrowly missed adding another when he was second to Bachman in the Goldmarket on Boxing Day.

Doyle said the five-year-old needed a touch of luck from the wide draw on Saturday, but he was sure he would run well.

“He missed a trial on Tuesday with the wet weather, so I’m just worried that might leave him a bit soft,” Doyle said.

“He had three weeks on the water walker after the Magic Millions and I’m sure there’s going to be big improvement as we head towards the Prime Minister’s Cup, but he’s done enough work and if he’s on song, he’s up to this race.’’

Doyle said Kinjite’s Epsom Handicap win in 1992 was his career highlight and said the Cox Plate runner-up was probably the best he had trained.