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More woe for Jason Watson as Doncaster injuries rule out Royal Ascot return

Jason Watson: missed the ride on Derby fourth Masekela due to injury
Jason Watson: missed the ride on Derby fourth Masekela due to injuryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Jockey Jason Watson will miss Royal Ascot after fracturing his collarbone, two ribs, puncturing a lung and bruising his bowel in an accident on the way to start at Doncaster on Friday, which also forced him to miss Saturday’s Derby.

Watson, 22, was replaced on Masekela at Epsom by Andrea Atzeni, with the colt going on to finish fourth behind Desert Crown in the Classic.

The rider was unable to take the mount after King’s Crusader spooked on the way to the start for a mile three-year-old novice event, dislodging Watson before falling and rolling over the top of him.

Speaking after being discharged from hospital in Doncaster, Watson said: “I knew I had broken my collarbone as I felt it straight away as soon as I went to move. I didn’t feel any other pain. I was just a bit sore and short of breath for a bit.

“Later on they found out after doing some MRI and CT scans that I had punctured my right lung, broken two ribs and had a hematoma on my bowels, as well as the collarbone. They sent me off for x-rays to check my spine and they couldn't see anything obvious on my spine, maybe a slight chip on a vertebra on my neck but it was unclear.”

Watson said missing the Derby and Royal Ascot was “a tough pill to swallow” after a strong start to the season, but added that he hoped to return to action in a month’s time, with Masekela potentially lining up in the Cazoo St Leger in the autumn.

“It couldn’t have happened at a worse time of year,” he said. “I just couldn’t believe it happened before my first ride in the Derby, then it dawned on me I was going to be off for a bit of time which would run into Royal Ascot. It's a tough pill to swallow, especially when things were going so well.

“I was delighted for Andrew [Balding] and [owners] Janice and Mick Mariscotti about how Masekela ran but, at the same time, you're half gutted you didn’t get the chance to ride him how you wanted to ride him.

“I thought he ran a great race and it could well be he ends up stepping up to a mile-six [for the St Leger]. Whatever route he now takes, he's a very exciting horse.”


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