Toomey out of coma and able to move limbs

Jockey Brian Toomey is out of a coma and can move his arms and legs after a fall at Perth racecourse had left him with serious injuries.

The 24-year-old, who had surgery to reduce swelling on his brain, remains in hospital but can now breathe without a respirator.

He was on Solway Dandy when the horse fell in a hurdle race on 4 July.

“Although no longer in a coma he does get very tired and needs lots of rest,” said his mother Marian.

On the evening of Toomey’s fall, his head injury was described as “life-threatening” but he has made significant progress since.

Meanwhile, last season’s Irish champion conditional Mark Enright could be sidelined for up to three months after fracturing three vertebrae in a fall at Kilbeggan on Friday evening.

Enright was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore after the Andy Oliver-trained Jabus took a heavy fall when leading three out in the three-mile handicap hurdle.

Turf Club doctor Adrian McGoldrick said: “Mark has a stable fracture of his T2, T3 and T4 vertebrae. He doesn’t require surgery but will be in a brace for about 10 to 12 weeks.

“All going well, he should be able to ride a few weeks after that following some physiotherapy.

“He may get home this evening or else tomorrow from Tullamore and, to be honest, when you see the fall it could have been a lot worse.”