Luckless O'Connor sidelined again

Matt O’Connor faces several weeks on the sidelines after fracturing his collarbone in a fall at Thurles yesterday.

The conditional jockey was injured when Zaarito came down at the second-last fence in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

He was taken to Kilkenny Hospital where the break was confirmed.

“He’s fractured his collarbone. I’m presuming he’ll be out for about four or five weeks,” said his boss, trainer Colm Murphy.

O’Connor only returned to the saddle last month after suffering serious head injuries in a fall at the same course in March.

Murphy reported Zaarito to have escaped relatively unscathed in the tumble on what was his chasing debut.

“He’s a bit sore as you would expect but apart from that he seems OK,” the County Wexford handler added.

“We’ll play it by ear with him and see how he is in a couple of weeks.”