Champion jockey Jim Crowley has ruled out a return at Royal Ascot from the horrific racing injury that has sidelined him since September last year.
Crowley's Injury and Recovery
The 47-year-old, who won his title in 2016 and is first jockey to Shadwell, has not ridden since sustaining pelvic and multiple leg fractures in a fall at York. He was riding talented sprinter Almeraq, the hot favourite for a Listed race, when his mount appeared to clip the heels of a horse in front, bringing down another runner ridden by Trevor Whelan. Whelan is also yet to return after three ankle operations.
Almeraq, who won on his comeback at Salisbury, is a contender for next week's £1 million Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Ascot.
Decision to Miss Royal Ascot
Although Crowley has been relicensed and riding out for the past two weeks, he does not feel 100 percent ready for the royal meeting. “I’m not going to make it,” he told Mirror Racing. “I’ve been riding out and I’m just not up to race riding yet. Ascot has come a little too soon. Although I could probably turn up it’s not where I want it to be and I want it to be 100 percent. You can’t come into a meeting like this at the top stage if you are not 100 percent.”
Crowley added: “My body will tell me if it’s ready and not before. I’m not going to put any dates on it, I’m not going to decide according to certain horses, it’s a case of when I am fit and ready and that’s the bottom line. It’s quite frustrating.
“Riding work is very different to race riding. I still have to pass a medical but I would rather wait until I am 100 percent. I’d like a bit of time riding at smaller meetings before I come into a big one.”
He concluded: “It’s hard but one thing I have learnt is racing is a great leveller and it is at the end of the day horses running around a field. It’s not the end of the world. There are lot more worse off than me.”
