RACING: Amateur jockey Tom Thompson is reported to be "poorly but stable" after taking an horrendous fall at Sedgefield yesterday. The rider parted company with Just Tom in the Wares Teesside 01642 358040 Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle and was taken to North Tees Hospital in Stockton.
Just Tom, who is trained by Micky Hammond, was in third place when he hit the top of the second hurdle, falling heavily. Having been hurled to the ground, Thompson then appeared to be kicked by a following horse.
Thompson, who was having his first ride in public, was knocked unconscious and was attended by paramedics for several minutes before being stretchered into an ambulance and taken to the hospital for X-rays and scans. A hospital spokeswoman said: "He's in the critical care area and is poorly but stable." Sedgefield's clerk of the course Charlie Moore added: "Our senior medical officer, Steve Andelic, who went to the hospital, said Tom has a serious head injury."
Meanwhile, Beef Or Salmon continued his preparation for his next outing at Down Royal on Saturday week with a workout at his Co Limerick base yesterday morning. The Michael Hourigan-trained eight-year-old is due to contest the Grade One James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase after a lacklustre seasonal bow earlier this month.
On that occasion he could only finish fifth in the Munster National at Limerick, when giving weight away to a high-class field that included the victorious Colca Canyon. "He is in good form and worked this morning as normal," said Hourigan. "His target is still the Nicholson at Down Royal and he should have come on for his run at Limerick." Beef Or Salmon established himself as Ireland's leading chaser when powering home in the Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown last April having successfully overcome a niggling muscle problem in his back.
The gelding finished fourth in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March and is a general 14 to 1 chance to take top honours at this season's Festival.
Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Carl Llewellyn recorded a 35 to 1 Cheltenham double with Gazump and Ollie Magern, but it was a day tempered by the fatal fall of the stable's top prospect Lord Gale. The local yard have been in great early-season form and 7 to 1 shot Gazump sparked the brace, producing a faultless round of jumping to win the extended two-and-a-half-mile Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance Novices' Handicap Chase.
There was better to come in the Ian Williams Owners Novices' Chase when Ollie Magern (7 to 2) upset the Martin Pipe-trained odds-on favourite Comply Or Die with a deeply impressive round of jumping. The six-year-old had plenty in hand at the finish of the extended three-mile chase, with Llewellyn easing down near the line to win by two and a half lengths. "Carl said that he is the best jumper he has ever ridden," said Twiston-Davies. The winner may return to Prestbury Park for a crack at the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 13th, where he could be joined by stablemate Redemption.
Paul Nicholls notched his third winner at the track in two days as Goblet Of Fire came with a sustained run up the rail under Ruby Walsh to win the extended two-mile Jewson Handicap Hurdle Final.
