James Doyle shows all his quality to repel Frankie Dettori's late challenge on Free Wind to edge a photo finish and win the Yorkshire Oaks on Warm Heart

James Doyle raised a smile when it was put to him that this, effectively, was like Arsenal borrowing Tottenham’s centre-forward to win a big game.

Doyle’s permanent role is second rider for Godolphin, the venture of Sheikh Mohamed, but on Tuesday morning his agent received a call from Coolmore, the Irish superpower, to see if he could take the ride on Warm Heart in the Yorkshire Oaks.

There would have been a time, not so long, when it would have been impossible for such an arrangement to happen but relations have thawed between the two organisations so Doyle was in a position to gleefully accept the opportunity.

He had ridden for Aidan O’Brien before – notably during the Covid seasons when Irish jockeys could not travel to the UK – but never with success. That anomaly was corrected, though, as Doyle showed all his quality to repel Frankie Dettori’s late challenge on Free Wind to edge a photo-finish.

‘This really means a lot,’ Doyle beamed with good reason, as it was his first Group One win since Royal Ascot in June 2022. ‘Aidan told me to be the last one to challenge. I could feel Frankie coming in the final furlong and I was praying for the line.’

O’Brien, who also saddled the third-placed filly Savethelastdance, could not have been more generous in his praise of Doyle, saying: ‘He’s a classy rider with all the qualities. He’s good man. We were delighted when we found he was available.’

Warm Heart, described by O’Brien as “a lovely, slick filly,” will now be aimed at The Breeders Cup meeting in November. There are no decisions on what is next for Paddington, however, following his set-to with Mostadhaf in the Juddmonte International.

‘He’s fine,’ O’Brien reported. ‘We’ve not got anything in mind for him at the minute. We are