Trying to make the best of a frustrating situation
Abbyssial sent me crashing to the turf in the Triumph Hurdle, the first race of the last day, Friday. We were in front at the time of departure, so I was wide open to getting even more severely injured by those coming from behind.
I did all the damage when hitting the ground, however, with Abbyssial essentially protecting me. But that was far from the full story.
He may have saved me to a large extent from other horses in the race, but then proceeded to kick the life out me himself.
When I got up onto my knees, I knew straight away was in big trouble. Indeed, you didn’t have to be a genius to work that out.
I wasn’t able to pull back my arm back and could only lift it with the other hand. I went to see a specialist on Thursday and the bottom line is that I am very much in the dark at the moment.
When I dislocated my shoulder that caused the fractures of my humerus. So, until the bone fractures heal back together, I won’t know how serious the problem is ligament-wise.
Indeed, I probably won’t be any the wiser for some three weeks. I will then return to the specialist and he should be able to tell me whether I simply need more time, or the operating table. A lot will depend on how much movement and power I have.
I am in reasonably good form now and realise that shit happens and there are far bigger issues than an injury suffered by me.
Of course, I normally lead a full and busy life and find this very frustrating. Mind you, like all of my colleagues, it isn’t as if I haven’t been here before.
I would, obviously, love to be told next week that I will be back in time for Punchestown and focus on that. But, right now, it seems like a long shot, although I am an eternal optimist.
I am a glass half-full man, rather than half-empty, and that has to be the attitude, otherwise you just might get too down.
Later this month my wife, Gillian, and I will have our third child. That is something to very much look forward to and really puts things in perspective.
Is there any plus side to my current predicament? There is actually and that is the fact I’m off nappy duty. I wasn’t great at it anyway, with two hands, so attempting the impossible with one hand is out of the question.
Willie Mullins runs just one horse at Gowran Park this afternoon, Vicky de L’Oasis in a rated novice hurdle, and she should prove hard to beat.
I know the mare well and was in the plate when we finished second to Philip Fenton’s Real Steel at Naas last time.
She wasn’t in love with the testing ground and then made a mistake at a vital stage, over the third from home. Vicky really could have done without that, given she needed everything to go right for her on the surface.
If the ground continues to dry out that will greatly enhance her prospects. I know she has to concede weight all round, but the ratings tell us that she has a nice bit in hand all of the same.
Vicky won her maiden at Galway and I could certainly see her developing into a live Galway Hurdle candidate though the summer.
Willie sends two horses north to Downpatrick tomorrow, starting with Passage Vendome in a two and a quarter mile conditions hurdle.
He ran over fences at Cheltenham, in the Grand Annual won by Savello, but only got to the first, where he over-jumped and went west.
This test is a long way removed from Cheltenham and he is well capable of at least going close.
Passage Vendome went across in very good form and is a horse that is not short of speed. I can see him winning a few races in the coming months.
Willie’s weekend concludes with Most Peculiar in the bumper.
If memory serves me correctly, he didn’t have the clearest of runs when second last time at Clonmel.
At the moment, I suppose you would hardly describe him as being among the better bumper horses in Willie’s, but this doesn’t look an overly hot contest.
The bare form of the Clonmel performance would nearly read good enough and there is every chance, trained by Willie, that he will come on plenty.
