Broken ankle rules Aspell out for eight weeks

DUAL-purpose jockey Paddy Aspell will miss hisrides at Newcastle on Saturday and is facing “around eight weeks” out of the saddle after breaking his left ankle in a freak accident at Thirsk on Friday.

Aspell, who recorded his biggest success in the saddle when partnering Chief Dan George to victory in the Willam Hill Trophy at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, was riding the Geoff Harker trained Cootehill Lass in the 7f fillies maiden, when his mount jinked right and he felt the ankle give way.

Speaking yesterday Aspell, 28, said: “I had a fall the week before at Cartmel and took a heavy blow to my ankle but x-rays didn’t reveal anything. There was obviously something wrong with it and it just gave way when put under pressure.”

The northern based freelance had partnered his first Flat winner of the season, at Catterick on Wednesday, on the Chris Wilson trained Ursus, and 28-year-old added: “Things had been going well on the Flat and over the jumps but these things happen. I’m going to see a specialist at James Cook University Hospital on Monday and I should no more than, but it feels ok and it certainly could have been worse.”