With all the doom and gloom surrounding British racing as the sport shudders to a frozen halt in the Arctic conditions, one excellent piece of news is the imminent return to the saddle of Robert ‘Chocolate’ Thornton, following a serious leg injury sustained in a fall in mid-summer, writes Elliot Slater.
Those at horse racing Ireland note that it was at Newton Abbot on July 5 that Thornton took a heavy fall from the appropriately named Hell’s Bay, when his mount ran out whilst leading at the second last in a beginners’ chase. The flamboyant jockey suffered serious damage to ligaments in his right knee and initial predictions suggested that he might be out of action for up to 9 months.
Alan King’s stable jockey got the all-clear earlier this week to return to race riding having undergone an extensive period of intense physiotherapy treatment, much of which took place at Oaksey House, an institution which is part-supported by the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. Thornton was quick to praise all the medical staff involved in helping him back after little more than four months on the sidelines, and is keener than anyone to see a rapid resumption to the jumps schedule to allow him to get back to work.
Thornton, who has such a great record at the Cheltenham Festival, is reported to be particularly looking forward to renewing his association with the talented, but quirky, Medermit, whilst exciting novice hurdler Habbie Simpson, unbeaten in both outings so far over timber, is also close to the top of his wish list.
All in irish racing will be looking forward to seeing the ‘blonde bombshell’ back in action and hope that his injury woes are now well behind him and that he enjoys a successful second half of the National Hunt season.
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