Doctors feared I could lose feeling in hand says apprentice Walsh

Eoin Walsh, who came off worst of the three apprentices involved in Friday night's pile-up at Wolverhampton, said on Monday doctors feared he could have lost the feeling in his left hand after a double break to his arm caused a bone to protrude from his skin.

Walsh, who has ridden 73 winners since 2012, unseated from the Mick Appleby-trained Secret Lightning in the apprentice handicap and also took a kicking for his troubles.

"I broke my ulna and radius completely, they both snapped and one of them ended up coming through my skin – I'm not sure which one," he said matter-of-factly, before praising the medical staff at New Cross Hospital.

"Before I had the operation they were worried I might not get the feeling back in my hand and would always have pins and needles, but the operation went really well. All the nerves are intact, everything is good and the next six weeks will determine when I'll be back.

"They were looking at six months before the operation, but it went so well they're now saying it could be a minimum four. I got out yesterday and in six weeks' time I go in for another x-ray and that will let me know."

On the full extent of his injuries, Walsh added: "My hand is hurting a lot and I also got a kick to my face. The left-hand side of my face is all swollen and I have a cut on my chin, but I'm fine. I could go back riding tomorrow if my hand was heeled, I feel physically fine everywhere else."

'Hopefully it's only four months'

Walsh plans to keep himself fit on the exercise bike until he gets enough strength back for the Equicizer and is taking the setback positively.

"It's frustrating, don't get me wrong, but at the end of the day it's not the end of the world," he said. "I'm lucky it's just my hand and I can do everything else bar ride a horse.

"Hopefully it's only four months I'm missing, it could have been 12 or a lifetime. When you watch the replay back it could have been a lot worse and I'm lucky I came away with only a broken arm."

He joked: "It's the first time I've ever really got much of a mention in the Racing Post, it's not the way I'd have wanted to make headlines, but people might actually notice me now."

Cox also out of hospital

William Cox, nephew of multiple Group 1-winning trainer Clive Cox, was also released from hospital on Sunday.

His uncle said on Monday: "He had an operation on his jaw and had that plated and he left hospital yesterday. As far as I understand he's more comfortable, and hopefully it won't be too long until he's back in action."

Cox's mount Mobley Chaos clipped heels and came down, while Toby Eley escaped injury after being brought down on Binky Blue.