Doyle: Spirit can step up to the task at Ripon

The anticipation is building at Ripon as racing enthusiasts prepare for what promises to be a competitive afternoon at the historic North Yorkshire track. Speaking exclusively ahead of the meeting, Doyle expressed confidence in Spirit's recent progress, noting the four-year-old has shown encouraging signs in morning work sessions this week.

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"The horse has been working beautifully," Doyle said. "There's real scope there, and I think we're starting to see what he's truly capable of. The step up in trip should suit him well."

Spirit arrives at Ripon following a solid effort at York last month, where the son of Sea The Stars finished respectably despite encountering some traffic in the closing stages. Trainer James Ferguson has been pleased with the gelding's recovery since that run, reporting that the horse has been eating up well and maintaining his condition in the build-up to today's contest.

The afternoon card at Ripon features several competitive handicaps, with the feature race drawing a full field of sixteen declarations. Racegoers can expect testing conditions underfoot following recent rainfall in the region, which should play into the hands of those runners who have handled easier tracks previously.

Doyle, who currently sits third in the northern jockeys' championship, has been in fine form of late, recording winners at Carlisle and Hamilton Park this week. The thirty-two-year-old is keen to maintain that momentum through to the weekend's bigger meetings.

"There's some nice horses running throughout the card," he added. "Ripon always attracts good entries, and the ground conditions will sort the field out. We're hoping Spirit can step up and prove he's ready for a step up in class."