All championship bets off after Moore’s injury at Newmarket

BOOKMAKERS suspended betting on the jockeys’ championship yesterday as Ryan Moore awaited a specialist verdict on scans taken following a nasty incident before the final race at Newmarket on Thursday.

Moore’s mount Newton’s Law reared up and became trapped under the stalls and, while the rider walked away from the scene, he did so in some discomfort.

The jockey was reported to be complaining of pain in his neck and was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for checks.

He stayed in hospital overnight and underwent further examination yesterday, which is understood to have included investigation into potentially damaged vertebrae.

Moore had a handful of rides for Aidan O’brien booked for today, including Due Diligence in the Darley July Cup and Air Vice Marshal in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes.

David Stevens of Coral said: “We suspended betting on Thursday night when it became clear there was a bit of uncertainty about his condition.

“As he was favourite we decided to take the market down, because, without Moore, Silvestre de Sousa would be a very short price indeed.”

Meanwhile, at Newmarket, Illuminate preserved her unbeaten status to uphold trainer Richard Hannon’s high opinion of her when hanging to victory by the narrowest of margins in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

The daughter of Zoffany was forced to pull out all the stops in order to add the six-furlong Group Two prize to her name.

Sitting much closer to the pace than when sweeping through with a late run at Royal Ascot, the smoothtravelling 7-4 joint-favourite hit the front in the hands of Richard Hughes approaching the final furlong.

Hitting the rising ground, both Besharah and Blue Bayou came with well-timed late runs, but the winning line came in time for Illuminate, as she clung on to victory by a nose from Queen Mary third Besharah.

Most bookmakers left her at 16-1 for next year’s Qipco 1000 Guineas.

Hannon said: “I thought he gave her the perfect ride. She travelled very well and I thought she was going to win a length and then the other filly [Besharah] stayed on.

“She’s always been a very good filly, a pleasure to deal with.”