Fentiman suffers double leg break in Pontefract fall

Duran Fentiman is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a double leg break at on Thursday.

Fentiman was set to partner Tim Easterby’s two-year-old Cangofar in a novice contest but he parted company after the horse jinked on the way to the start.

The rider, who has ridden 21 winners this term, was taken to hospital in Leeds where he is set to undergo surgery on Friday having broken both his tibia and fibula.

“He has suffered a lower leg break and has broke his tibia and fibula in two places,” said Fentiman’s agent Paul Brierley, who plans to visit the jockey on Friday evening.

“I spoke to Duran last night and this morning and he is scheduled to go down for an operation. When I spoke to him this morning he was next in line and it is just a case of getting the operation done.

“In himself he’s a bit tired because he wouldn’t have had much sleep. It’s obviously very painful, but at the same time he is obviously disappointed because he is having such a good year as well. It’s typical horseracing where you can have the rug pulled from under your feet at any time.”

There was a lengthy delay to racing as Fentiman was first made stable on course before being transferred to hospital, with the remaining races on the card subsequently abandoned due to the lack of an available replacement ambulance.

Thoughts now turn to Fentiman’s recovery, with the jockey, who recently partnered his 400th career winner, thankful for all the messages he has received following Thursday’s incident.

“Duran is all right in terms of chatting away, but yesterday quite a lot of the delay was due to getting Duran comfortable and stable because the break was obviously not a straight forward one,” continued Brierley.

“The horse just jinked and it was a fairly big two-year-old as well, so it was a fair way down. Ninety-nine times out of 100 you’d land on your feet or roll around, but he’s just landed and the leg has broke. We’ll just have to see, but I would assume that is 2024 finished.

“The main thing is he’s in the right place and it’s amazing what they can do with sports injuries these days.

“I’ve had hundreds and hundreds of messages and I would like to pass on that Duran appreciates all the messages and well-wishes he’s received.”