Marcus Foley looks set to miss the Cheltenham Festival after breaking his collarbone in a fall at Doncaster on Saturday.
The rider took a crashing fall from Slooghy three flights from home in the Tote Scoop6 Handicap Hurdle.
Foley was taken to hospital and his agent, Ross James, confirmed the rider now looks unlikely to regain full fitness in time for Cheltenham.
“He’s broken his collar-bone. He has had it x-rayed and it’s definitely broken so it’s just a question of how quickly he heals now,” he said.
“I don’t know how quickly he heals to be fair but I would say Cheltenham looks unlikely at this stage.
“These things happen though. He seems reasonably OK, there are people much worse off them him, and it’s just about getting on with it now.”
Foley admitted his participation at Cheltenham is unlikely and he is unhappy to miss out.
“I’m afraid it’s looking that way, it’s very disappointing. We’ll have to see how fast I can get back,” he told attheraces.
“I suppose I would not have known at this point precisely what (I would have ridden) but I would have looked to have a few for boss, whatever Mick (Fitzgerald) didn’t choose or what I was allowed to ride.
“Any sort of ride there would have been good, it’s just unfortunate.”