Leslie jockey taken to hospital after fall

Wins at both Ayr and Newcastle were slightly soured by an injury to stable jockey Lucy Alexander.

In the first race at Ayr the Leslie rider took a heavy fall on Craiganboy and had to be immobilised prior to transfer to hospital.

Fortunately scans revealed no damage to head or neck but she is sore and bruised with a broken collar bone.

The accident came just a few weeks after fellow jockey Frederik Tylicki was paralysed in the lower half of his body following a four-horse pile-up at Kempton.

Lucy’s father, trainer Nick said: “It is a big blow for the stable to have our stable jockey out of action just as the season is warming up.

“It is also incredibly frustrating for Lucy herself who works so hard on her fitness yet fate seems to continually intervene to prevent her fulfilling her talent.

“However it could have been much worse and she certainly hopes to be back before too long.”

There was better fortune for the Leslie stable an hour later when Titian Boy under jockey Brian Hughes galloped to a facile win in the 2 miles 4 furlongs Racing Post Owners Jackpot Novices Chase.

This was the first time the seven-year-old had been over the bigger fences.

Forty-eight hours later the stable was back in the winners enclosure at Newcastle when 3lb claimer Grant Cockburn got Jet Master up to win the 2 miles 4 furlongs Coopers Marquee Hire Veterans Handicap Chase by three quarters of a length.