Harding confirms broken arm after Kelso fall

Brian Harding has confirmed he has broken his arm after a fall at Kelso yesterday.

The popular jockey, winner of the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase aboard One Man, had been riding Primrose Time in the Bedmax Handicap Chase.

“I’m OK. I have been for an X-ray and I have broken my right arm,” said Harding.

“It’s in plaster but it is not an unstable fracture, so it could have been worse.”

Set for a slightly shorter spell on the sidelines is Paddy Flood, who broke his collarbone when Schindlers Hunt suffered a fatal fall in the John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree last Friday.

This caused Flood to miss the ride on Vic Venturi in the following day’s Grand National.

His agent Ciaran O’Toole said: “I haven’t heard of any further complications apart from the collarbone.

“It was just a shame for him, with Aintree and then Punchestown round the corner.

“Sometimes they can be back in three weeks, sometimes it takes a bit longer.”