Jockey Fehily on the mend

CHELTENHAM Festival-winning jockey Noel Fehily is in hospital recovering from keyhole surgery.

The Irishman was struck down with severe stomach pains on Saturday, which forced him to miss several rides at Kempton.

He was rushed to hospital when his condition did not improve and medics found they needed to remove his appendix.

Speaking from near the Swindon ward where Fehily is recovering, his wife Natasha said she is grateful that the four-hour procedure went smoothly.

“It all came as quite a shock,” she said. “He rode at Huntingdon on Friday and had a pain in his stomach. On Saturday it got worse and they took him into hospital.

“He had an emergency operation to remove his appendix. He’s feeling a bit better today, he just has a high temperature at the moment. But he’s on the way to recovery.”

Fehily’s agent Chris Broad spoke to him on Sunday morning and said it is too early to say how long he will be out for, with the Cheltenham Festival just eight weeks away.

In 2018, he struck in the opening contest of the four-day meeting on the Gloucestershiretrained Summerville Boy.

The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle success is one of many he has enjoyed with Tom George’s Slad yard, as well as leading owners Paul and Clare Rooney.