Jockey breaks cheekbone and eye socket in fall
JOCKEY Gina Andrews broke her cheekbone and her eye socket after suffering a heavy fall at Cheltenham.
The rider was aboard Haafapiece in the Catesby Handicap Hurdle last Friday, with Pam Sly’s seven-year-old still appearing to hold every chance when coming down at the final flight.
Haafapiece, an 18-1 outsider, was just in the lead and looking good when coming down heavily. Andrews was sent crashing to the turf and was kicked by Nordic Combined, who was almost brought down.
Although Haafapiece galloped away unscathed, Andrews remained behind green screens for some time before being taken away from the scene of the incident.
Andrews was conscious following the fall and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
A statement posted on Friday on the Twitter account she shares with her point-to-point trainer husband Tom Ellis, under the Gina and Tom Ellis Racing banner, read: “Thanks to everyone for their well wishes for Gina today after her horrible fall at Cheltenham. She is OK but is staying in hospital tonight.
“Massive thank you to all the staff and medics at @Cheltenhamraces and @NHSUK for looking after her.”
Speaking on Saturday at Doncaster, where she had two rides, her sister Bridget Andrews said: “She’s fractured an eye socket and cheekbone, but she’s going to be all right.
“She’s going to be on her way home today and she’ll be back in hospital in the week for a check-up on the cheekbone to see if she needs an operation.”