'I'm playing it by ear' - Hollie Doyle set to miss the rest of February with elbow injury

Hollie Doyle is facing at least another three to four weeks on the sidelines as she slowly recovers from the fracture to her elbow she sustained in a nasty fall at Wolverhampton last month.

The leading jockey also was found to have ruptured her ligaments around the bone when taking a crashing fall on the Tapeta surface at Dunstall Park on January 16.

The six-time Group 1-winning rider was hurt when her mount The Perfect Crown was fatally injured in a 7f claimer. Doyle managed to walk to the ambulance and from there into the weighing room, but x-rays taken at Swindon Hospital revealed the fracture.

The jockey had hoped to be back some time this month, when she would have been in demand on the domestic all-weather circuit. She had also been lined up for a trip to Qatar, where she won the valuable H H The Amir Trophy a year ago on the Archie Watson-trained Outbox.

Doyle said: “I’m playing it by ear but the ligaments around the elbow are taking their time to settle down and I could be out until early March. 

"I’ve been having plenty of physio and have been using the hydro pool at Oaksey House in Lambourn most days. I’m due to see the specialist again on Thursday.”

Regarding her trip to Qatar, Doyle added: “The specialist would have to be very pleased with my progress in order for me to make Qatar, which now seems unlikely and I’ve no set date even when to return to riding out. 

"The elbow is improving all the time but I expect it to be three to four weeks minimum, or it could be six to eight. We’ll have to see how it goes.”

Read these next:

 'This is mindboggling that in front of our eyes our sport is going to be ripped to pieces'  

'He's making a name for himself - it's exciting' - Mullins delight at Galopin Des Champs  

Make the most of the jumps with 50% off Members' Club for the rest of the season 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning