Duffield in hospital with cracked rib

George Duffield is in hospital suffering from a cracked rib after being kicked by an intended mount at Warwick today.

The 57-year-old veteran of the weighing room is being detained overnight at Warwick General Hospital for observation.

He was kicked in the stomach as he attempted to mount Burton Ash in the parade ring before the EBF Primrose Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

His wife Ann, who trains from their stables at Constable Burton in North Yorkshire, dashed from saddling runners at Doncaster to be at his bedside.

She said: “He’s cracked a rib. They have x-rayed him, taken blood tests and given him a scan because they were concerned there might be internal damage because it was such a bad kick.

“Thankfully he’s not done any internal damage. His liver’s okay.

“He’s being kept in overnight. The hospital, the surgeon and everyone have been very good – they were on the ball.

“It could have been a lot worse.”

Mrs Duffield explained what happened.

“He went to get on the horse. He had the reins in his hands ready to jump on. It lunged forward and double-barrelled him in the stomach with both back legs.

“He said he can’t remember anything as it happened that quick and he ended up in the hedge.

“It could have been very bad, but thank God it’s not.”

The filly’s trainer James Given said: “I feel so sad about what has happened. We all live and work around horses but you feel responsible when one of your horses is involved.

“I had to tell Ann (Duffield) what had happened and she went straight off to Warwick.

“The filly has not done anything like that at home and it is a bugger of a thing to happen. I just hope George is all right.”

A hospital spokesman confirmed: “Mr Duffield is stable and we are admitting him to the hospital for observation.”

The two-year-old filly, who was to have made her racecourse debut, was withdrawn.