Rob Hornby facing four months out after shoulder operation

Rob Hornby will miss the start of the 2021 Flat season and could be out until May after having a major operation on the shoulder he damaged in a fall at Wolverhampton last month.

The 25-year-old initially thought he had escaped lightly when his mount, Villanelle, clipped heels and went down in the closing stages of a 1m4f handicap, an incident which also brought down the Ben Curtis-ridden Fortultous.

Hornby was able to walk away from the scene that afternoon but later had problems with his shoulder which, after further investigation, led to a full-scale operation at Cardiff Vale Hospital last week.