Dave Crosse: I was told I'd never ride again – I like proving people wrong

Injury-plagued jockey Dave Crosse was told he would never ride again after suffering multiple fractures to his humerus in a horror fall while schooling on September 3.

Unbelievably, just five months later he is ready and raring to go, but now it is the outbreak of equine influenza keeping him from getting back on track, not his injury.

The rider, who was out of action with a fractured thumb weeks before his far more serious mishap, said on Friday: "I was told I'd never ride again. Plenty of credit must go to my specialist Geoff Graham to get me back before schedule – I like proving people wrong.

"I was cleared by Geoff the other day and was due to have a ride on Thursday, and would have been riding at Bangor today.

The x-ray of Dave Crosse's fractured humerus

"I've been riding out for two months so the restriction in my shoulder has improved every week; the injury won't impact my riding – I just wish racing was on!"

Although frustrated by the lack of racing due to equine flu, Crosse, who admitted he is often one to criticise the BHA, believes it has handled the situation correctly.

Dave Crosse's injury list

Seven broken collarbones
Broken right forearm
Dislocated right shoulder
Compound fracture of right leg
Numerous broken ribs
Broken left ankle
Dislocated left shoulder
Broken right thumb
Fractured right eye socket
Multiple fractures to humerus

Like many he is due to take a holiday during racing's enforced break, but it is not just his race-riding which has been forced to take a back seat.

As well as jockey coaching, Crosse hosts hospitality at numerous racecourses, including Warwick, where a meeting was supposed to take place on Saturday.

"I always say if you're not earning you're spending," he said. "You have to turn the negative into a positive and in the last few months I've been busy developing my hospitality business, I now host at 14 different racecourses.

Dave Crosse entertains racegoers at Warwick

"From a jockey's perspective it's a pain in the backside – people will be cribbing the missed opportunities and jockeys these days are afraid to miss one ride, but the break is a bit of a blessing."

He added: "I'd say every jockey who hasn't planned to already should be disappearing in the next couple of days. There's lots of racing in February as well as preview evenings so it's a great opportunity."

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