James Doyle defended his ride on the 5-6 favorite, No Retreat, at Windsor on Monday after the pair narrowly lost the 1m2f maiden race in dramatic fashion.

During the final furlong, Doyle and No Retreat engaged in a fierce battle with Brave Call. It appeared they were on the verge of securing victory, but just before the finish line, Doyle seemed to ease off, which allowed Hollie Doyle on Brave Call to snatch the win by a short head. Doyle explained that No Retreat had become wayward in the final moments, prompting him to stop riding out fully.

In an interview with Sky Sports Racing, Doyle expressed sympathy for the punters and connections who supported No Retreat but emphasized the unpredictable nature of horses. "They're live animals with a mind of their own," he said. "He had only run once before and showed a smart turn of foot to take the lead. However, he lugged into Hollie's horse, which led me to put my stick down. After that, he started wobbling, spotted the winning line, and tried to avoid it, which caused him to veer left. I had to be cautious because of the upcoming turn."

The stewards reviewed the incident and accepted Doyle's explanation that No Retreat's sudden jink caused them to become unbalanced, requiring Doyle to regain control of the horse's head. No sanctions were imposed.

Reflecting on the race, Doyle, a Group 1-winning jockey, said, "It was like he got spooked by the winning line. I wasn’t vigorous up to the line because I was focused on staying on the horse and maintaining our partnership. You can see he suddenly halted right at the line, and that’s what cost us the race tonight. When you’re riding a wayward horse, it’s almost impossible to fully drive because you’re aware of the risk of falling off. These things happened at the most crucial moments, and while some might call for a suspension, people need to remember that horses aren’t machines."