Jason Watson out for six to eight weeks after injuring neck in Kempton fall

Jason Watson will be out of action for "six to eight weeks" after fracturing his neck in a heavy fall at Kempton on Friday afternoon.

The champion apprentice sustained the injury when his mount Teresita Alvarez clipped heels in the early part of the mile handicap. Watson was stretchered off the track and sent to St George's Hospital in Tooting.

His agent Tony Hind said on Saturday morning: "He has got two hairline fractures of the vertebrae in the neck. It was an unfortunate accident but luckily it doesn't seem too serious.

"He was discharged from hospital last night which is good news and he will be out for about six to eight weeks. I won't be bringing him back until the middle of March – there is no point rushing him.

Watson is reported to be doing well and is expected to make a full recovery before the beginning of the turf season.

Hind added: "Barney Clifford [clerk of the course at Kempton] rang me straight away after the incident and said he wasn't unconscious at any point.

"I spoke to Jason last night and this morning and he seems okay and knew what was going on but he just didn't know exactly what happened. In in those sort of situations everything happens so quickly.

"The surgeon was very happy with him and he took x-rays as a precautionary measure, as they always do, and they found these very two small hairline fractures. They are a minimal fracture and it doesn't seem anything too serious."