Rising star of the weighing room Lilly Pinchin has been forced onto the sidelines due to injuries sustained in a fall.
The 24-year-old was hurt when Tea For Free came down at the penultimate obstacle of Saturday's Sky Bet Chase. Charlie Longsdon's horse had made the running and was still in with a fighting chance of scooping the £56,950 first prize.
Pinchin made her way back in after the mishap, but the pain did not subside and she went for an X-ray at Doncaster Royal Hospital. The scan confirmed injuries which will put the rider, praised by top ITV Racing pundits this season, temporarily onto the sidelines.
"I have fractured my left collarbone and right wrist," said the fourth-placed jockey in the conditional championship.
"I got up and it was a little bit sore, the stinging pain in my shoulder wouldn't go away. I spent about five hours in Doncaster Royal Hospital waiting for the scan and I'll go to see a specialist by early next week.
"Sitting on the sidelines is going to be difficult but it should be a quick turnaround and I think I'll be back for Cheltenham."
Four of Pinchin's 21 winners this season were recorded on Tea For Free, who is recuperating at Longsdon's stable in the Cotswolds.
"Everybody loves him and I'll pop down at the end of the week and give him some carrots," she said. "It's just a shame he couldn't get the landing gear out. It has been magic riding him this season – and winning on Dame Du Soir and Hector Javilex at Cheltenham.
"Hopefully the momentum will carry on when I return. The support I get from Charlie Longsdon's stable and the owners give you that fight to get back."
Pinchin's ride on Dame Du Soir at Cheltenham's December meeting caught the eye of former top jockey and racing pundit Ruby Walsh.
He praised the sportswoman for judging the pace correctly and being strong in the tight finish.
"Cheltenham is an easy place to get sucked into asking for an effort too soon," Walsh said in his Racing TV analysis.
"For me it was Lilly sitting from three out to two out. She had Ben Poste (on the leader) covered and she kept waiting on the opposition behind her. It's easy to say that's how you should do it, but to have the confidence to wait, it is a hard thing to do."
Pinchin is 12 winners behind the leader of the conditional championship, Luca Morgan, who rides primarily for trainer Ben Pauling.
