GRAND National-winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald is out for the rest of the jumping season after breaking his collar bone while riding out for his boss Nicky Henderson yesterday morning.
Fitzgerald, who triumphed at Aintree on Rough Quest, will be on the sidelines for at least three weeks, and missed three rides at yesterday's Ascot evening meeting.
Champion jockey Richard. Dunwoody had to give up his four mounts at Ascot, too, after feeling ill on Monday night with a suspected touch of food poisoning. He expects to be fit again to ride at Exeter today.
Meanwhile, a quarter-share in Storm Trooper, one of the leading 2,000 Guineas fancies, has been sold by Prince Fahd Salman to David and Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud fame.
The Henry Cecil-trained colt, due to be ridden by Pat Eddery, goes into the Newmarket classic on the back of an impressive four lengths win in the Listed Feilden Stakes last month.
The son of Diesis out of a half-sister to leading sire Storm Bird won one of his four two-year-old outings as well as running Beauchamp King, the subsequent Racing Post Trophy and Craven Stakes winner, to a length and a quarter in the Listed Autumn Stakes at Ascot in October.
Cheveley Park's General Manager Chris Richardson said: "We are delighted to have acquired a small share in this promising three-year-old colt and to be associated with Prince Fahd Salman. It is hoped that Storm Trooper will eventually join the portfolio of stallions at Cheveley Park."
