'A long shot but not impossible' - Ryan targets Ascot after breaking collarbone

High-flying jockey Rossa Ryan is still hoping to ride at Royal Ascot despite breaking his collarbone in a fall that has temporarily stalled his fine start to the season.

Ryan suffered the injury at Wolverhampton on Wednesday night, and before racing started on Thursday he sat in joint-second in the jockeys' championship with 15 winners, six behind leader Oisin Murphy.

"I won't know for a while how long I'll be off for but I hope it will be no more than a month," Ryan said on Thursday.

"We've had some two-year-olds who really excited me in the last couple of weeks and to miss them at Ascot would be a hard pill to swallow – and Albaflora too.

Rossa Ryan was an easy winner on the classy Albaflora at Ascot in early MayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"These things happen and if I can get back for Ascot it would be great. It's a long shot but it's not impossible. And at least I'm fortunate to be in a position where I can come back and the rides are still there for me."

Ryan suffered the injury when his mount Imajorblush fell fatally in a 1m4f handicap.

"He was coming there with a winning chance and his leg went," the jockey recounted.

"It's always devastating to lose a horse and my thoughts are with all his connections, his owners, Zoe Hassall and George Hassall, and trainer Philip Kirby and all his team."

Ryan's most high-profile win of the season came on Hardwicke Stakes entry Albaflora at Ascot three weeks ago, after which the jockey said: "She's probably the closest to a Group 1 filly I've ever sat on. I've never had a feeling on a filly like that. She's really exciting."

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