LEADING IRISH AMATEUR jockey JT McNamara is said to be in a “stable condition” following surgery on a serious neck injury.
McNamara, 37, fractured two vertebrae following a horror fall while riding Galaxy Rock at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday.
The Limerick-based rider, who remains in an induced coma, was airlifted from the course to the regional spinal unit at Bristol’s Frenchay Hospital where he had surgery yesterday.
Dr Adrian McGoldrick, Irish Turf Club senior medical officer and Lisa Hancock, CEO of the Injured Jockeys Fund, jointly issued a short statement on behalf of the McNamara family this morning.
“We can report that following lengthy surgery yesterday JT McNamara is in a stable condition. He remains in an induced coma.”
McNamara’s wife, Caroline, flew to England and was with him in Frenchay Hospital. No further update is expected on his condition until Tuesday, 19 March, at the earliest.
The incident, which happened at the first fence in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup, cast an obvious shadow over the remainder of the Festival which was Ireland’s most successful ever with 14 winners from 27 races.
Speaking following his horse At Fishers Cross’s win on Friday, top owner JP McManus fought back tears when speaking about his friend and neighbour’s injury.
Irish jockey Barry Geraghty, who won the showpiece Cheltenham Gold Cup for Nicky Henderson on Bobs Worth, dedicated his win to McNamara while Rebecca Curtis, trainer of TeaforThree on whom McNamara won at Cheltenham in 2012, described the accident as “absolutely gutting.”
– Addditional reporting by AFP
