Champion jockey Harry Skelton is riding at the Cheltenham Festival with a huge shiner as the result of ‘a good hiding’.
Skelton, who won the jump jockeys’ title in the 2020-21 season, has a number of big chances this week for trainer-brother Dan, who heads this season jumps trainers’ championship.
Harry drew a blank from his rides on the first day, finishing third on Take No Chance in the Mares’ Hurdle and fourth on the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned L’Eau Du Sud in the Arkle Trophy. He was riding despite appearing at the meeting sporting a black eye and stitching above his right eye.
Skelton has another big day on Wednesday when he has four mounts including the leading contenders The New Lion in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, Be Aware in the Coral Cup and Unexpected Party in the Grand Annual Chase.
Appearing on ITV’s Opening Show he explained what had caused the damage and reassured punters it had not affected his riding.
“Sunday morning I was out watering some foals and one decided to give me a good hiding,” he said. “As it went away it kicked me straight in the side of my head and just caught the edge of my eye, Luckily the eye was all right.
“It split the side of my eye around my eyebrow. My vision was fine so I thought thankfully it has not kicked my eye, but it has definitely kicked something as I had a load of blood pouring out everywhere.
“There was a lot of blood and 20 minutes later I was at Warwick racecourse and had a visit to Dr Pritchard who stitched it back up so all’s good.
“He said it might be a bit swollen tomorrow morning, but you will be absolutely fine and just make sure you keep a bit of ice on it. Between him and Sarah the nurse they patched me up and I went on and had two rides at Warwick. I got beat on both of them, but I should have probably won on the last one and I swore all the way home from being beaten on it!”
Skelton said he felt no pain or discomfort from the injury. He said: “Luckily the goggles just go over it. It was so numb I couldn’t feel anything to be honest. It could have been a lot worse.”
Skelton was watching from the weighing room on Tuesday when Golden Ace won the most dramatic editions of the Champion Hurdle, in which odds-on favourite Constitution Hill fell at the fifth flight and State Man came down at the last with victory in sight.
“I don’t think a lot of us having seen anything like that,” he said. “It was just unbelievable. “First and foremost Jeremy Scott was thankful that Constitution Hill, State Man and the two jockeys were absolutely fine.
“You prepare for anything and expect nothing sometimes. Someone had to win that race and yesterday it was Jeremy Scott and Lorcan Williams. Well done to them.”
Skelton is currently leading the David Power Jockeys’ Cup – a new initiative which awards points to jockeys who win and finish in the places in races shown on ITV throughout the season and has a record-breaking £1.5 million prize fund, with £500,000 to the winner.
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