'An odd shake' - Nicky Richards recovers after breaking six ribs in gallops fall

Cumbrian trainer Nicky Richards has recovered after being hospitalised by a nasty gallops fall and is enjoying his return to riding out members of his talented jumps string at Greystoke.

The trainer, 64, had a fall in March and suffered six fractured ribs, a broken shoulder and a punctured lung, described by Richards as an "odd shake".

But on Sunday he was back on a horse for the first time since the fall, pictured on Twitter leading out his string at his yard situated close to the Lake District.

Richards said: "I got a bit of an odd shake. It's not the first time, but that's part of this game unfortunately. I was in hospital overnight but these troubles were only just kicking off and I didn't fancy staying there too long. I'm back riding out and everything – you've got to get on with it."

A revival of his career as a jockey was denied, as Richards joked: "There's no need to worry about going for that, those days are long gone. I might be a lot of things but I'm not a lunatic."

Now the focus is on preparing his team for the resumption of jump racing on July 1. Richards will only have a handful of runners in the first month but is expecting to be well represented in August.

"Everybody's hoping the jumping will return by July," he said. "We'll have only one or two in July but we're expecting to have a good few in August. We don't know what the programme book looks like so that's a bit up in the air I suppose."

Cumbria is one of the worst-hit counties from the coronavirus outbreak and newspapers on Tuesday morning were reporting some residents placed barricades across roads to stop tourists visiting the Lake District since lockdown rules were eased.

An impressive picture of Nicky Richards' string from Edward Whitaker in a visit in 2018Credit: Edward Whitaker

Richards is just four miles from the National Park, registered as a heritage site from Unesco, and said: "There's been a few trying to get themselves up here but they've been shown a clean pair of heels. The locals have been telling them exactly where they should be at.

"But we're in sad, hard times and the main thing is we all try and get out of it together."

Veteran Simply Ned still 'loving it' and to continue next season

There are no plans to retire Richards' stable star Simply Ned, with the 13-year-old to continue on next season.

A ten-time winner for the yard – most famously when toppling Footpad and Min at big odds in Ireland – he was an encouraging fourth in the Game Spirit at Newbury and will continue to run until he loses his enthusiasm for the game.

Simply Ned and Mark Walsh win the Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase (Grade 1).Leopardstown.Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post 27.12.2018Credit: Patrick McCann

Richards said: "I don't think he disgraced himself at Newbury, he came over the second-last together with Altior and was right in among them. Brian [Hughes] came in and said 'the old boy's loving it', but he just hasn't got that final, finishing kick.

"The plan was to go to Aintree [for the Melling Chase] as we wanted to try him over two-and-a-half miles.

"We'll bring him back if he's happy and well and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't. He's given us a lot of pleasure but also racegoers too. If he wants to be a racehorse then we'll let him."

Read more:

Simply Ned finally lands Grade 1 following dramatic Min-terference

Backing for £22m hardship fund but Simply Ned owner asks: where is help for us?

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