Silvestre de Sousa targeting St Leger meeting for earlier return from injury

Champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa is making good progress from the injuries he sustained in a fall at Chelmsford last month and could return at the St Leger meeting at Doncaster after it emerged he had not broken his collarbone as initially feared.

The three-time champion, who lies third in the jockeys' championship on 71 winners, sustained multiple injuries when parting company with 11-8 favourite Alnadir in a 1m2f handicap on August 23 when the three-year-old was squeezed for room a furlong from home.

Theodore Ladd, riding second-placed Michele Strogoff, was found to have let his mount shift right-handed when insufficiently clear of the Simon Crisford-trained Alnadir and was suspended for ten days for careless riding.

De Sousa, who is retained by the King Power Racing operation, was taken to hospital but initial assessment that he had broken his collarbone and would be out for between four to six weeks proved incorrect.

His agent Shelley Dwyer said: "Silvestre is making good progress from what was a shocker of a fall and hopes to be back for Doncaster. Fortunately, his collarbone was not broken as we first thought so he's been able to get back to fitness quicker than expected and it's all looking positive."

De Sousa is hoping to take advantage of the recent opening of Peter O'Sullevan House in Newmarket to aid his rehabilitation. Dwyer added: "It's a marvellous facility for jockeys and Silvestre hopes to go there on Monday."

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