Grand National-winning jockey rushed to hospital as racing delayed at Sedgefield

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A GRAND National-winning jockey has been rushed to hospital – forcing racing to be delayed at Sedgefield.

Derek Fox, who has won the world’s most famous race twice, suffered a crushing fall from Ballydisco in the 3.10.

Horse race jump; jockey falling.
Derek Fox was leading on Ballydisco when he suffered a nasty fall four fences from home
Jockey Derek Fox and trainer Lucinda Russell celebrating a Grand National win.
Fox won his second Grand National in 2023 on the Lucinda Russell-trained Corach Rambler

He was said to be conscious and moving but was stretchered into an ambulance and driven away from the track in Stockon-on-Tees.

Reporting from the course, Sky Sports Racing presenter Andrew Thornton said: “The horse has come back in but Derek had a nasty fall.

“He is conscious and moving but very, very sore – it was a real case of whiplash.

“They have put him on a stretcher and they are taking him straight to hospital to assess him.

“He is conscious and it is precautionary but anything to do with the back or neck – it is the right thing to do.”

Fox looked to be going smoothly on the Lucinda Russell-trained 4-1 chance when disaster struck in the 3m2½f handicap chase.

The 2017 and 2023 Aintree hero got the fourth fence from home all wrong.

He was catapulted into the air and spun round 180 degrees before smashing into the turf with the back of his head.

Fox, 32, has had more than his fair share of injuries over the past couple of seasons.

He almost had to miss the ride on Corach Rambler at Aintree when he injured his shoulder when unseated at Wetherby the week before.

And this time of year seems troublesome in particular.

He was shown hobbling into the back of an ambulance a little over 12 months ago with another shoulder injury following a fall at Ayr.

And just last week he went down from Ahoy Senor in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The 28-1 chance was bowling along when he got the 15th fence wrong – the second time in three years he has fallen in the Gold Cup.

He won’t be in a race against time to make it back for a big Grand National ride this year, however.

Russell, who also won the race with One For Arthur, only has 150-1 Apple Away entered in the £1million contest.