Sean Levey, the Classic-winning jockey who has been sidelined since high summer, hopes he can return to the saddle at the beginning of next week in time to retrieve something from his season. If he can persuade his medical examiners and himself that he is fit to make his comeback, he will be just in time for a reunion with his shock Guineas winner, Billesdon Brook, a week on Saturday in the Sun Chariot Stakes.
“Obviously it’s taken a bit more time than was originally anticipated,” said a rueful Levey on Monday as he reflected on his recovery from a fall at Salisbury in June, when the 50-1 juvenile he was riding hit the far rail and unseated him. The 30-year-old was originally reported to have broken his left collar bone and it was hoped he would be back a month later for Glorious Goodwood. But he has since been confronted with the reality of an injury that was rather more serious and included a broken shoulder blade.
“It was a complicated break and I got a lot of metal put in there to help the healing process. It’s there for the foreseeable future, though there will be a time when it can come out.
“It couldn’t have come at a worse time. I was going well and I lost a lot of time at the high point of the season but, at the end of the day, I’d never broken anything before. It’s getting there. It’s not 100%, no doubt, but it’s getting there quickly. I’d like to be riding by 1 October but I won’t ride unless I’m 100%.”
Levey’s incentive is the chance to get back on board Billesdon Brook five days later, when she once more tackles the course and distance over which she won the 1,000 Guineas at odds of 66-1 in May. “Sean’s worked very hard to get back and it’ll be great to have him back,” said her trainer, Richard Hannon.
“She hasn’t shown that Guineas-winning form but she’s only had the two runs and this is her first chance to go back to the scene of the crime.”
Lingfield 1.30 Goodwood Showman 2.00 Living Legend 2.35 Sam Cooke 3.10 General Zoff 3.45 Welsh Lord 4.20 Bayston Hill 4.50 Khafooq 5.20 Midnight Guest
Beverley 2.10 Magical Spirit 2.45 Four Mile Bridge 3.20 Twin Appeal 3.55 Perfect Pasture 4.30 Detachment 5.00 Thornaby Nash 5.30 Athary 6.00 Polar Forest
Warwick 2.20 Full Bore 2.55 Laughing Luis 3.30 Peppay Le Pugh 4.05 Silk Run 4.40 Henri Parry Morgan (nap) 5.10 Dory 5.40 Bally Lagan
Chelmsford 5.45 Hard Taskmaster 6.15 Handmaiden 6.45 Mirbat 7.15 Waqaas 7.45 Tamerlane 8.15 Indian Pursuit 8.45 Gemini (nb)
Tips by Chris Cook
