Jockey Walsh injured at Cheltenham today

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Fantasy_World

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On the Racing Post online tonight:
by
Andrew King

"RUBY WALSH was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital on Saturday night for further investigation on a suspected internal injury following a heavy fall. The jockey is set for a spell on the sidelines after an operation on Saturday for a ruptured spleen.

The jockey was taken to hospital after a heavy fall from Pride Of Dulcote in the 3m1f handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in which he suffered a kick in the stomach.

Walsh's father, Ted, said: "Ruby is having an operation tonight for a ruptured spleen."

Walsh, who did not ride a winner on Saturday despite a series of fancied mounts, was due to have a full set of rides at Cheltenham on Sunday, including leading Arkle fancy Tatenen in the opening novice chase.

Sam Thomas, who deputised for Walsh in the final race on Saturday, is his likely replacement. "

This just shows how tough these national hunt jockeys are because I for one did not think he was that badly injured post race as he was seen walking into the ambulance.
I wish Ruby a speedy recovery and hope he doesn't have to spend too long on the sidelines. I really feel for him though as he had a fine set of mounts available over the coming weeks.
 
Crikes.
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Thanks for that info and yes, let's all wish Ruby a speedy recovery.

I was at Cheltenham on Friday and saw him come in after his run out in the last! Despite his obvious disappointment he was still able to have a laugh and joke with some punters who called out to him, although I'm guessing they weren't ones who'd had their money him!

Get well soon Ruby.
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It didn't look to be a bad fall, and he seemed OK after he got up. Not a happy meeting for him, the CHeltenham OPen. Get well soon, we need you on Kauto in the King George.
 
I have the following update from the Racing Post online


Rodney Masters

RUBY WALSH is likely to be sidelined for a three to six weeks after undergoing surgery on Saturday night on his ruptured spleen following a fall at Cheltenham.

Walsh was operated on in Cheltenham General Hospital after taking a heavy blow to the stomach when Pride Of Dulcote fell in a handicap hurdle, and the operation has since been deemed a success.

Jennifer Walsh, sister and agent to Ruby, said on Sunday: "Ruby is not too bad this morning and the surgeon was very happy with him. He's in good spirits and it is hopefully not a long-term problem. it is difficult to give a time-frame for recovery - it depends on the healing. But he could be out for anything between three to six weeks."

Saturday at the Open meeting is proving to not be a happy hunting ground for Walsh, as 12 months ago he suffered a dislocated shoulder after a fall aboard Willyanwoody, which left him out of action for five weeks.

Sam Thomas took over the riding duties in Walsh's absence during that period, going on to score a series of high-profile victories for Paul Nicholls, including the Hennessey on Denman, and Betfair Chase with Kauto Star.

It looks likely that Thomas will again step into the breach, as Nicholls said on Sunday: "Sam Thomas deputised for him last year, and it'll probably be the same again this time."

Having just seen the opening few minutes on Ch4 racing the further news is that Ruby has had to have his spleen removed meaning that he will now have to take daily antibiotics indefinitely as his ability to fight infection is now diminished due to the splenectomy.

Let's hope he has a speedy recovery following this surgery.
Caz
 
Did they as it wasn't what I heard. I thought they said that usually for anyone else they would be on the sick for 3 months following this type of surgery. However for a jockey that would not be acceptable. Especially for one as high profile as this who is stable jockey to perhaps one of the best trainers in national hunt history.
So long as he is passed fit enough to ride by doctors I cannot envisage Walsh being out of action for anywhere as long as that, providing of course there are no complications.
Unless something goes badly wrong I cannot see him being out of action for anything longer than 2 months.
Walsh will want to be in that saddle as soon as possible.
Compared to the vast majority of national hunt jockeys he has an enviable choice of mounts this season and I really cannot see him prolonging his return to the saddle for any longer than is absolutely necessary.
 
Let's hope he makes a speedy recovery, Kauto on boxing day isn't one he'd want to miss! I feel really sorry for him, missing big meetings over the next 3 weeks, but its good that Sam Thomas gets another go in the spotlight.
 
Oh right I must have missed him saying that bit but to be fair Paul Carberry would not have missed anywhere near the quantity of top class rides available to him that Ruby certainly would were he out for that length of time. In fact it is doubtful that Carberry would have missed any seeing as he was injured after the main jumping season had pretty much finished for that year.
It was during mid April 1999 ( well after the big jump festivals) that he was injured and he was not expected to resume riding until September of that same year. His injuries were not dealt with with the same speed at which Ruby's were. Ruby was treated immediately after his fall and was operated on yesterday to remove his spleen. Carberry had been injured whilst work riding for Noel Meade and had collapsed 4 days after his fall, resulting in an operation on his damaged spleen.
His delay in returning to the saddle was based on the risk of another fall whilst recovering.
In July 1999 Carberry said to the Racing Post:
"I'm feeling good and getting there gradually. But the medical advice is for me not to risk having a fall on fast ground until everything is 100 per cent. "
Since the racing is now taking place on proper jumping ground as opposed to summer jumping and early autumn then the risk of fast ground is not as high as it would have been during the time Carberry was recovering.
I would also hasten to guess that his delay in recovery may also have been affected by the delay in the operation to his spleen and the resulting trauma to his body. I am no doctor but I don't think any delay like that would have helped his cause especially if he had walking around with a damaged spleen resulting in his eventual collapse.
I really cannot see Ruby being out for anywhere near as long as that, especially with the vast array of top class mounts he would miss during that time. I think it is fair to say that thoughts of fantastic rides to come must aid any jockey's recovery time as it gives them the will to recover.
He will have thoughts of partnering Master Minded and Kauto Star next month firmly at the back of his mind and if that doesn't put him back on his feet then I don't know what will.
 
Ruby???Jesus no not this time again
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...kauto needs you
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...sod sam thomas
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....kauto needs you
smile.gif
,get well pretty damn quick!!
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xx
 
Poor Ruby - Spleens are precious things and if he has to have it out that will im afraid be curtains on his racing career.
I am keeping everything crossed for the speedy recovery!
 
Here is a further update on Ruby taken from the Racing Post online today. Apologies for it being so late as I have been with my horses all day at the stables. Here it is:

by Rodney Masters and Ben Newton
RUBY WALSH hopes to return to the saddle in three weeks following surgery to remove his spleen on Saturday night, but he was advised on Sunday by a fellow jockey who has also undergone the operation to resist the temptation to hurry back.

Trainer Paul Nicholls last night reported that Walsh is aiming to get back in time to partner the brilliant Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 6.

Walsh had to undergo surgery after being kicked in the stomach and rupturing his spleen in a fall from Pride Of Dulcote in the stayers' handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

On the corresponding day last year, he dislocated a shoulder and was sidelined until Christmas in a horrible fall from Willyandwoody. Sam Thomas, who replaced Walsh at Cheltenham on Sunday, including aboard impressive winner Tatenen, will deputise while Walsh is sidelined.

His rides will include Kauto Star in Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock – a race the pair won 12 months ago.

Nicholls spent half an hour with Walsh last night in the high-dependency ward at Cheltenham General Hospital, and found him “in good spirits”.

The trainer said: “He's in a very positive frame of mind. He's his sights set on returning in time to ride Master Minded in the Tingle Creek on December 6 – that's just under three weeks away. Knowing Ruby as I do, he'll be doing everything he has to to be back as soon as possible.

“It's good that he's set a target like that, but a lot will depend on how the muscles heal. At least there were no broken bones. He just took a glancing blow when falling.

“As it happened a year to the day since he got injured last season, I gather the hospital staff greeted his arrival with ‘It's that Ruby Walsh again!'”

Nicholls added: “He'll be moved to a private room shortly, where he is to spend three or four days before returning home to Ireland.
“He's in good spirits and was able to watch the racing on TV and was obviously very impressed by Tatenen.

“Although he'll see the other lads taking over on some nice rides coming up, he'll continue to be involved and will be advising and helping them when he can.”

Thomas said his thoughts were with his weighing-room colleague, but that he had one eye on riding a number of Nicholls' stars.

He said on Sunday: “My thoughts are obviously with Ruby, but it would be stupid to say I'm not looking forward to the next few weeks. I'm going to make the most of it and I now just want to stay in one piece.

“Because of last year, I've been there and done it, and that will help. I won the Betfair Chase on Kauto Star last year, and I'm looking forward to us defending our title.”

Flat jockey Dale Gibson underwent identical surgery to Walsh following a fall at Beverley, and although he had the added complication of broken ribs, he was out of the saddle for five months.

He said: “Hopefully, Ruby will not be out for too long and I wish him a speedy recovery, but from my experience I would suggest he takes things very steadily. There tends to be a fair degree of muscle wastage around the stomach following the operation, and that takes time to build up again.”

He added: “Like Ruby, I was super-fit but it knocked me back far more than I'd anticipated. I'd guess he will lose up to a stone. I've had to take penicillin every day since to prevent infection.”

Although a more common injury for skiers, several jockeys, including Paul Carberry, Brendan Powell and Thierry Jarnet, have had their spleens removed following a heavy blow to the stomach.

Dr Walter Halley, a Turf Club medical officer, said there is no mandatory period for a jockey licensed in Ireland to be out of action following stomach surgery. “As far as Ruby in concerned, we'll be taking advice from the surgeon who performed the operation,” he said.
 
NH jocks are so bloody brave - one of my closest friends lost his spleen after getting crunched in a rugby game - it has changed him totally - he has gone from being a fit and hardened front row to someone who now thinks wind sailing is extreme..

I only hope Ruby doesnt do too much too soon - he is a beautiful pilot will never forget the peach of a ride he and Papillion had in the National - truely awesome!!
 
This is exactly what I was conjecturing yesterday when I referred to the delay to Carberry's operation being possibly attributable for his slow recovery.
Story taken from Racing Post today

Quick operation could aid Walsh recovery - Carberry


Brian Fleming

PAUL CARBERRY has said that it took him three months just to feel "normal" after he had his spleen removed in 1999 but reckoned the fact that Ruby Walsh underwent the same operation just hours after his fall at Cheltenham on Saturday should help his cause considerably.

Walsh is targeting a return to action aboard Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 6, a break of just three weeks after he was kicked in the stomach in a fall at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Carberry, who suffered his injury riding out the week after his Grand National triumph aboard his father Tommy's Bobbyjo in 1999, wasruled out for four months.

He said: "It was three months before I felt anyway back to normal but the fact that they discovered Ruby's problem in time should make a big difference to him and every case is different I suppose."
 
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