Rachael Blackmore taken to hospital with leg injury after heavy fall in Killarney

Rachael Blackmore could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after being taken to hospital with a leg injury following a bad fall at Killarney on Friday.

Blackmore, who turned 32 on Sunday, fell from the 11-10 favourite Merry Poppins in a handicap hurdle.

After a lengthy examination by personnel at the track she was taken to Tralee hospital for more assessment on what medical officials described as “an upper leg injury”.

There were fears at the course that the pioneering jockey, who achieved global fame when becoming the first woman to ride the winner of the Aintree Grand National on Minella Times in April, may have suffered a serious leg injury. However nothing has been confirmed.

Impressive Snowfall set to help Moore end his barren Classic run

---

Order of Australia a warm order to notch fourth career win

---

Horse Racing Ireland hoping for increased capacity pilot events

---

Blackmore had ridden two winners earlier on the card and currently tops the jockeys standings in Ireland.

Her pioneering exploits last season also saw her crowned top jockey at the Cheltenham festival with six winners including the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle.

It has catapulted Blackmore into becoming the face of jump racing and she is an overwhelming favourite to be crowned RTÉ’s sports person of the year for 2021.

She has been relatively lucky with injuries in recent years with a chest injury sustained in 2019 keeping her out of action for some weeks in 2019.

In an Irish Times interview last month she dismissed her catalogue of injuries riding over obstacles, saying: “Collarbone, nose, few concussions, wrist. Look compared to some people I’m extremely lucky.”