Silvestre de Sousa quashes rumours of early return from injury

Silvestre de Sousa will not return to action at next week's St Leger meeting, with the champion jockey quashing rumours of an early return and instead targeting a comeback at the beginning of October.

De Sousa sustained multiple injuries when his mount Alnadir fell in a 1m2f handicap at Chelmsford on August 23 and there were initial hopes De Sousa, who is retained by King Power Racing, could be in line for a speedy return.

But, speaking in his Star Sports column, he clarified his likely recovery timeline. He said: "There has been a little bit of confusion about the extent of my injury and when I will be back riding, so I’d just like to clear some of that up.

"I can confirm there was a small fracture to my collarbone and also a tiny chip to one of the bones in my lower neck.

"All of that, along with a lot of bruising, my lower back is still sore, means there is no chance of me returning to ride at next week’s St Leger meeting.

De Sousa is the retained rider for King Power RacingCredit: Edward Whitaker

"My goal remains to be back riding in that first week of October ahead of Champions Day."

De Sousa is visiting the recently opened Peter O'Sullevan House in Newmarket on a daily basis with the ambition to get back riding in a couple of weeks.

"In my mind I’d like to try and be work riding at least three weeks from today – that’s the hope anyway," he added.

Theodore Ladd was suspended for ten days for careless riding on Michele Strogoff as part of the incident which injured De Sousa, but the three-time champion defended Ladd's part in the accident and praised the young apprentice's response to the matter.

De Sousa said: "I’d like to say that Theo Ladd, who picked up a lengthy suspension for the incident, has behaved like a real gent.

"He has rung me a couple of times since the fall to see how I'm doing and I certainly don’t blame him as he simply drifted off the rails like we all do – that’s race-riding."

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