Amateur Brodie Hampson home again after three nights in hospital

Brodie Hampson faces a long spell on the sidelines with back and head injuries following her fall at Newton Abbot on Tuesday but is improving daily and was able to return home on Friday night after three nights in hospital in Plymouth.

Hampson was partnering Saxo Jack for Sophie Leech in a 2m1f handicap hurdle for lady amateur riders when suffering a heavy fall at the fourth flight. She was knocked unconscious and attended to at length on track but had regained consciousness by the time she left the course.

Hampson, who is now being looked after by her mother in Chichester, has not been well enough to absorb fully all she has been told about her injuries and her likely recovery time. However, her back injury is less serious than one she suffered in her point-to-pointing days and she is relieved the head injury is not as bad as it might have been.

She said: "I'm not feeling so great, but I'll get there at some point hopefully. I got home to my mum's last night and I'm being well looked after.

Brodie Hampson and Jennys Surprise (nearest) on their way to an emotional win in the 2016 Royal Artillery Gold Cup at SandownCredit: Charlie Crowhurst

"I was concussed and they say I've broken four vertebrae – T7, T8, T9 and T10 I think – but they're all stable, which is good. I've got to stay fairly still, but I can move about if I need to and I don't have to wear the back brace I had when I broke my back point-to-pointing. It wasn't stable that time.

"I was out of action for six months then, but I think this time they're talking more like three, although to be honest I haven't always been with it when they've been telling me and I'll know a lot more after I have my next appointment."

Hampson, who two years ago enjoyed an emotional win on Jennys Surprise in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown wearing the colours of her terminally ill father Mark, added: "I also broke a thumb and had quite a big bleed in my head, which isn't great. That's what's affecting my memory, but no surgery was needed and they say it will go down by itself so long as I don't do too much."

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