‘You just have to laugh at it’ says Godolphin jockey as he reflects on the various sources of pressure on a jockey’s mental health
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, James Doyle has spoken about the pressures that jockeys face and the importance of trying to keep a level head. While his own career has flourished in recent years, he can still remember how tough times were for him before a link with Roger Charlton and Cityscape catapulted him into the big time in 2012.
“I wouldn’t say I was definitely depressed,” Doyle reflected, “but I was certainly very low at a period in my career when I was doing all the hard yards, putting in all the hours in the car and sweating and not really getting anywhere.” Charlton recently described the jockey as having been “a bit depressed” before joining his yard.
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