Williamson out of luck

NORMAN WILLIAMSON revealed last night that he is likely to miss the Cheltenham Festival in March with his latest injury a dislocated right shoulder incurred in a tall at Newbury on Saturday.

The jockey's run of bad luck continued apace when falling from Eskimo Nel in the Tote Gold Trophy Handicap.Hurdle in what was his first British come back ride since breaking his right femur in a fall at Sedgefield last October.

And Williamson could not hide his disappointment when revealing that his specialist advised he could be out of action for LIP to six weeks. I am very sore and although it could be sooner I could be out for up to six weeks." the jockey said.

That "worst case" scenario would mean Williamson would miss the plum ride on Champion Hurdle favourite Alderbrook as well as another defending his crown in the shape of Master Oats in the Gold Cup.

A small ray of hope in another wise murky outlook to the jockey is that a dislocated right shoulder and broken wrist sustained when falling at Stratford last July took just a month out of his schedule.

But it must be odds against hid being back at Prestbury Park in March to defend his Ritz Club charity trophy achieved when partnering four winners at the Festival in 1995.

Meanwhile, Ron Hogges can take advantage of the improved weather to land a double at Hereford today with Evening Rain and Persistent Gunner.

Evening Rain can initiate the double under Richard Dunwoody in the Weatherbys Leasing Directory Handicap Chase.