'I'm extremely lucky' - jockey Laura Pearson escapes car crash unhurt

Star apprentice Laura Pearson had a lucky escape on Thursday after being involved in a car crash en route to Doncaster, which forced her to miss her rides on day two of the Cazoo St Leger meeting.

Pearson, 20, was in an accident with a lorry on the A1 and although her Vauxhall Insignia was a write off, nobody was hurt.

The Royal Ascot-winning jockey missed two rides at Doncaster with Embour taken out of the Silk Series handicap for female jockeys as no suitable replacement was available and Duran Fentiman taking over on Luna Queen, who was fourth in the sales race.

"The car was written off but I've come out without even a scratch, so I'm extremely lucky," she said on Friday morning.

"I was more annoyed about not making it to Doncaster, if I'm perfectly honest. It's great the filly ran so well, but I'm gutted I wasn't on her."

A friend went to pick up Pearson after the accident and the jockey, who reduced her claim to 3lb six weeks ago, was back in action at Sandown on Friday when she was looking to add to her 36 victories this year.

"Things are going steadily at the moment, but that was bound to happen once my claim was down to three, and hopefully I'll be able to start racking up the winners again," she said.

Pearson has been riding since September 2018, but made startling progress on the all-weather last winter when partnering 21 winners during December and January.

Attached to Tom Clover's stable in Newmarket, she continued her form on turf this season, with her biggest victory coming on Lola Showgirl in the Kensington Palace Stakes at the royal meeting.

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