Johnson hit with Booster blow

Richard Johnson will miss the high-profile rides on Rooster Booster and Monkerhostin at Cheltenham this weekend after x-rays revealed that he sustained pelvic damage in a fall at Haydock last week.

The 27-year-old was thrown from novice hurdler Walsingham in the paddock at the Lancashire track last Thursday and the horse then reared up on top of him.

It was initially thought that Johnson had sustained only minor injuries and would be back in action this weekend.

However, subsequent x-rays have revealed a pelvic problem which rules him out of the rides on former champion hurdler Rooster Booster in Sunday’s Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and Monkerhostin, the general 3-1 favourite for Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.

“It was still very sore and I couldn’t put any weight on my right leg,” Johnson told The Times. “As that is the leg I broke twice within a year, I wanted to reassure myself that there was nothing broken.

“The right side of the pelvis is quite badly damaged where the horse fell on me. It surprised me that I wasn’t X-rayed in hospital on Thursday after the accident but I’m told it wouldn’t have made any difference.

“It is just something I have to be patient with and I have to stay on crutches for the time being. I’ll aim to be back for the Hennessy meeting at Newbury but this is a sickener for me.”