'I was out cold for five minutes' – Maxwell praises medical support for jockeys

David Maxwell has praised the medical attention jockeys receive after suffering a crunching fall at Wetherby on Wednesday, an incident which left the prolific amateur concussed and with a fractured vertebra.

Maxwell, who has ridden 46 winners in Britain in the last five seasons, was having just his second ride of the 2020-21 season when he was unseated from Zizaneur and suffered his injuries. He has been ruled out for at least six weeks but has been "bowled over" by the support he has been offered.

"I was out cold for five minutes and I've got a small fracture in a vertebra," he said. "It's nothing major and I'm not in a lot of pain but I'd say I'll be out for six to eight weeks.

Maxwell's biggest moment in the saddle was winning the Grade 3 Prix Morgex chase at AuteuilCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

"But what was utterly superb was that Jerry Hill from the BHA sent me a text at 10.30 last night – 'How are you? What's the damage? Don't worry, we'll look after you'.

"It's fashionable to slag off the BHA but the medical attention to the jockeys is something to be immensely proud of. And I had the Injured Jockeys Fund on the phone this morning, asking if there was anything they could do, any help with rehab. I'm bowled over by it."

The property investor has a string of "16 to 18" horses and has become a familiar sight in recent seasons in hunter chases and then taking on professionals, most notably landing a Grade 3 chase in France on Cat Tiger in 2018.

However, the owner/rider will have to watch other jockeys ride his horses this autumn while he is on the sidelines.

David Maxwell: 'It's really annoying, just when it's all getting going'Credit: Getty Images

"It's really annoying, just when it's all getting going," Maxwell, 42, said. "I have some really nice horses to run and I won't be able to ride them."

Maxwell may keep back his older horses until his return but said: "Some of the younger ones have to get on with their career, they have to crack on – horses like Stratagem, who is a nice young novice chaser.

"It will be very strange watching them and I don't know how I feel about it but they have to get on with it and it's the nature of competitive sport, some guy gallops on to the finish and wins and some guy's lying in the dirt with something broken. And it could have been worse."

More to read:

Ups and downs: amateur David Maxwell falls off on way to start but lands Grade 3

Jetsetting Maxwell out of luck in his long-range double bid

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