James Doyle records double at Newmarket on day of whip ban ruling

James Doyle (left) completed his Newmarket double on Hawkbill

Jockey James Doyle responded to being given a 15-day whip ban by the British Horseracing Authority by winning both feature races at Newmarket.

Doyle rode Cardsharp to victory in the Arqana July Stakes, before also taking the Princess Of Wales' Arqana Racing Club Stakes on Hawkbill.

Earlier on Thursday, the 29-year-old was given a 15-day suspension for using his whip above the permitted level during a race at Sandown last Saturday.

It was his fifth offence in six months.

"The rules are very fair. They are in place for a reason and I think we have the best whip rules," Doyle, who will see five days of his ban deferred for 42 days, told ITV Racing.

Analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

Perhaps it was karma for James Doyle.

Having received a lengthy whip ban at a British Horseracing Authority morning hearing, instead of stamping a foot and saying how unfair everything was, he put up his hands, accepted his penalty with contrition and said he'd endeavour to learn from it all.

And his day turned into one of the down-and-then-up variety as he took both features, the Princess of Wales' Stakes on Hawkbill, a thorough pro, and the July Stakes on Cardsharp, who messed about a bit beforehand, but showed plenty of ability.