Hollie Doyle chomping at the bit ahead of return at Southwell

Hollie Doyle has spoken of her relief at finally ending her spell on the sidelines when she returns to the saddle at Southwell on Saturday.

The 30-year-old has been out of action since suffering a complex lower-leg fracture in a fall at Bath in May, missing the bulk of the UK Flat season and having to endure a long and arduous road to recovery.

Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s good to finally have a starting point in sight. I’m pretty relieved it’s all over now. I rode out for the first time about two weeks ago, but it’s just like riding a bike.

“It was a bit rough, I was in hospital for three weeks down in London, but then was able to start my rehab pretty quickly.

“I’ve been doing everything I can and when I got out of hospital I was straight into Oaksey House within a few days and have been in there pretty much five days a week ever since.

“They have been great at accommodating me as it’s a busy old place and I can’t thank the physios there enough – I’ve had some good people around me to get back me back to where I am today.”

It has proved a testing period at times for the Group One-winning rider who has had to call on all of the resolve that has made her one of the leading names in the weighing room to return from a near five-month absence.

Doyle continued: “It was pretty hard and I’m not used to sitting on my backside and during the summer when the best of the racing was on it was pretty hard and painful. But I found a routine that I stuck to every day which got me through.

“I’m pretty pig-headed and don’t take no for answer, but I was so used to going racing every day I had to find a way of redirecting into something else and when I found that rhythm I was OK.

“I always had in my head I wanted to be back around the end of October/November time and there was times I thought I must be a lunatic for thinking that time frame would be possible.

“But the last few months have gone really well and I think getting back on a horse and riding out has been one of the easiest parts of my recovery compared to what I have had to be doing.”

Doyle is set for four rides at the Nottinghamshire track at their weekend floodlit fixture, the best of which could well be the Ralph Beckett-trained Chantilly Lace in the Midnite Ain’t Your Grandad’s Bookie Handicap.

She will then head to Wolverhampton on Monday, but also has her eye on heading overseas later in the year, with another spell in Hong Kong – a jurisdiction in which she has enjoyed previous success – a possibility.

Doyle added: “I’m hoping to go away for the winter and I’ll see how the next few weeks go and take it from there. I’m hoping Hong Kong, but it’s all just in the pipeline still.”