Jockey sustains severe injuries

News: Jockey Robert Stephens has been discharged from hospital after a horror fall at Uttoxeter on Saturday.

The 21-year-old sustained severe facial injuries - but not a broken shoulder as was first feared - after he came down at the sixth flight when leading on Titian Flame in the Weatherbys Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

"I'm back at home now, which is good news, but I'm very, very sore," he said.

"My nose is broken, my lip is badly split and needs stitches and I've possibly got a couple of small fractures in my face.

"There's something wrong with my eye - but I don't quite know what - and my shoulder is very sore too, but is not broken. I have to see a facial surgeon on Tuesday so they might need to operate."

As a consequence of Stephens' fall, Uttoxeter officials were forced to abandon the remainder of the meeting with two races to run.

The Jockey Club requires a minimum of two doctors to be at a racecourse for racing to take place and with two doctors accompanying the injured rider during his ambulance journey to hospital, only one was left at the racecourse, forcing the early end to the six-race card.

* The Smurfit Champion Hurdle lost another leading contender on Saturday morning when the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Lingo had to be destroyed after breaking a leg on the gallops.

With Harchibald and Feathard Lady already ruled out for the season, Brave Inca, who is now expected to be the mount of Tony McCoy at Cheltenham on March 14th, has shortened to 13 to 8 favourite from 7 to 4.