De Sousa targets Doncaster return
Silvestre de Sousa could be back in the saddle in time for Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, which starts on Wednesday week, after it emerged his collarbone was not broken after all.
De Sousa was not expecting to return until Champions Day at Ascot next month, but his comeback target date has now been brought forward after it was found nothing was broken and that his injury was restricted to ligament damage.
The three-times champion jockey was injured in a fall at Chelmsford City on Aug 23 when Alnadir, trained by Simon Crisford, came down after being squeezed for room in a five-runner handicap over 10 furlongs.
De Sousa was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for assessment and a return visit there revealed better news.
“The aim is Doncaster. Whether the aim will go slightly further, who knows, but hopefully he will be back for Doncaster,” said De Sousa’s agent, Shelley Dwyer.
“He is going to Sir Peter O’sullevan House [at Newmarket] on Monday, so we will know a bit more as the week goes on as to where we are at.
“It is all good, all positive, no neck braces or anything on now so we are hoping he can get back for Doncaster.
“When he was in Addenbrooke’s there was a shadow on the collarbone. Because it was so bruised we went back in on Tuesday for another X-ray and the collarbone was fine, there is just ligament damage round there.
“It is still sore but it is getting there. He is much better. He is still bruised, but the bruising is coming out. If he progresses as he did last week then touch wood we will be back. It is good news.”
The Charlie Appleby-trained Ghaiyyath ran out an impressive winner of Germany’s top race, the Grosser Preis von Baden, at Badenbaden yesterday.
The unexposed colt made all the running under William Buick and cruised home 14 lengths clear of Donjah with German Derby winner Laccario a further four lengths away in third. The Godolphin fouryear-old, who has run just seven times, was given a 16-1 quote for the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe.