James Doyle prepared to hit the sauna ahead of Sea Of Class date with destiny
The Group 1-winning pilot is ready to do anything to ride his star filly in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
JAMES DOYLE will have to drop to his lowest weight 'in three or four years' if he wants to partner Sea Of Class in the Arc.
The star filly's regular jockey is desperate to stay on board his mount in search for further Group 1 success.
But if he's going to keep the ride aboard the big-race favourite, he'll need to drop another 3lb in just over a month - something he's not had to do since he was in the early stages of his career.
He said: "The Arc looks to be the right race for her. I haven't spoken to William (Haggas) since she won so I don't know how far along they are as to what to go for next.
"She'll only have 8st 9lb in the Arc which would be the lightest I've done for three or four years. I did do it in Australia about 18 months ago but that was a little bit easier, so that's another factor."
Doyle was again impressed by how quickly Sea Of Class made up ground in last week's Yorkshire Oaks, and admitted she gives him a feeling that not many others can.
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"I didn't sleep much the night before I was that excited about jumping on her again, she's just exceptional," he told At The Races.
"We didn't go overly quick, but she went through her gears so well and she won like a superstar really.
"There was plenty of strength in depth in the race as well, which gives you plenty of confidence.
"She's got a lovely cruising speed, but a very good turn of foot. We went pretty good fractions in the Oaks over in Ireland and she quickened off that and we went pretty steady the other day. She really drops down and accelerates."