'It was a bit eventful' - Henry Brooke ends injury-hit spell as Eagle Prince soars

Henry Brooke is determined to put his latest setback behind him after he rode his first winner in over three months with Eagle Prince's gutsy success in the 2m1f juvenile hurdle.

Brooke has been luckless with various injuries in the past, including a frightening fall at Hexham in October 2016 that left him in an induced coma, and did not ride in August having suffered multiple fractures in his hand.

However, he got his first winner since returning when the Brian Ellison-trained three-year-old held on to score by a neck.

"I broke all the bones in my hand and had them operated on," Brooke said. "They're good now, but took a bit of work and physio to get back. I bent a few rods in them from doing a bit too much gym work early on, which was another setback.

"I have to thank those at Jack Berry House because they've the patience of a saint. There's plenty of lads and lasses in there and they do well to control all of them, never mind get them back. Without those places, we'd all be struggling."

It was an eighth win of the season for Brooke following Eagle Prince's victory in a race which subsequent Grade 1 winner Knight Salute landed two years ago.

He added: "It was a bit eventful. I got bumped everywhere and wasn't sure what was helping me. He had plenty of ability on the Flat and Brian thinks he could be better rated if you got the same horse every day with him."

Danny McMenamin was stretchered off the course and taken to hospital for observations following a nasty fall from The Mayor Porky at the final flight.

Chapman delivers

Ross Chapman is also eager to kick on again following his second winner of a disrupted season with Imperial Data's neck victory in the opening 2m4f handicap hurdle.

"I had a bit of time off as I dislocated my shoulder at Cartmel earlier in the season, but I'm really looking forward to getting in the swing of things now," he said. "The win was a bit too late for my liking!" 

Imperial Data (right) on his way to winning at Sedgefield on TuesdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The race was the first at Sedgefield since it was given the go-ahead last month for its season opener to take place, following realignment work done to the top bend between the back straight and home straight.

Chapman added: "It rode beautifully. When riding before you were holding your horse up going into it, but now you can ride it smoothly."

Brookhouse flying

In-form trainer Ben Brookhouse made it five wins from his last seven runners with My Chiquita's impressive success in the 2m4f maiden hurdle.

"She's still a big baby," Brookhouse said. "We originally were going to put her away as we thought the ground would be wrong, but when we saw it was like it was we schooled her to the max."

Missile dodged

Ben Harvey guided Irish raider Hypersonic Missile to victory in the concluding 2m1f bumper, despite him dramatically jinking and nearly unseating the rider in the closing stages.

"It was a scare, big time!" Harvey said. "But he's just a big baby and will be a lovely horse to go hurdling with."

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