Leading jockey Clifford Lee has broken his silence after a terrifying off-road motorbike accident, admitting doctors told him he was 'very fortunate' to be alive as others might not have survived such severe injuries.
A Season Cut Short by a Holiday Horror
The 29-year-old rider, who was enjoying a breakthrough 2025 season as stable jockey for trainer Karl Burke, saw his year end abruptly during a family holiday in Scotland in October. Lee was riding on a dirt track when he approached an unfamiliar hill.
"I didn't know the hill we were going up, there was a ditch on the other side and I wasn't going quick enough to clear it," Lee explained to the Racing Post. "The bike went from underneath me and I hit my head on the ground." Despite not being one to readily seek hospital care, Lee instantly knew the severity of his condition. He removed his helmet and told his brother to call an ambulance immediately.
Severe Injuries and a Fight to Recover
The crash resulted in a catastrophic fracture of his C1 vertebra in four places, coupled with a blood clot at the back of his neck. His injuries were so critical that he required an emergency tracheotomy to breathe and spent two days in a coma.
In the aftermath, nerve damage impacted his basic functions. Lee faced significant difficulties with eating and drinking and, most distressingly, lost his ability to speak entirely. "If you'd asked to speak to me three or four weeks ago, I wouldn't have been able to because I couldn't talk," he revealed.
The Road Back to the Saddle
Through determined rehabilitation, including work with a speech therapist who only signed him off last week, Lee has remarkably regained his voice. He now wears a medical 'halo' brace to stabilise his neck as he heals.
Reflecting on the uncertain prognosis he initially received, Lee said, "At the time it happened, they couldn't tell me if I was ever going to be back to normal. That wasn't nice, but every day I was able to do different things with my tongue and able to speak and sound better."
With characteristic jockey resilience, Clifford Lee has already set his sights on a return to race riding, targeting a potential comeback in February or March. His story stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of a sportsman's career and a testament to his personal fortitude following the life-altering crash.
