Over the stable door: Going downhill fast is not the best way to prepare a jockey

My fitness levels have been topped up by a few days away skiing last week. Skiers use the same muscle groups as jockeys, making it an ideal pursuit to keep in shape.

I was invited to join five guys, only one of whom I knew – a fellow jockey who goes faster down the slopes than he does on the racetrack.

Having previously worked in the resort, I was nominated ‘tour operator’ and decided on a steady ski introduction as it became obvious that the boys had varying degrees of experience and sense. It didn’t last long, and we soon arrived on top of a steep ridge few people use. The entrance was taped off, a large orange banner announced it was closed.

“What do you want to do?” I asked, looking at the nervous faces.

“Let’s go for it,”the crazy jockey replied excitedly, ducking under the tapes.

I hoped it might slow down his frenzied pace, and led my unwilling posse after him.

All went well until half-way when our snow cover suddenly came to an abrupt end. We were faced with a 40-foot drop down steep rocks and soil. I prepared for a climb and encouraged the guys to treat it as a team-building experience.

I was the first to lose my footing. The crazy jockey leapt out of my path to save himself as I skidded uncontrollably down the muddy bank accelerating at a rate of knots. Like a cresta run participant, I tore the full length of the ridge on my backside and into the trees before finally ending up in the stream.

I could hear unrestrained laughter above me. My yellow salopettes were ripped and covered in thick black mud. The scene was not pretty.

I spent that evening in the resort laundrette scrubbing the alpine dirt from my pants after tending my resignation as tour operator.

Talking of falls, spare a thought for three talented professional jockeys, all out of action for the season after suffering major setbacks for the second time in 12 months.

Noel Fehily, Christian Williams and Northallerton-bred Phil Kinsella remain optimistically positive despite repeated bad luck.

Christian, dogged with misfortune in the last few seasons, broke both his arms in a fall at Cheltenham in November. He expects to be back racing by September.

Noel was booked to ride Kauto Star before falling at Newbury and damaging his wrist in the same month, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

He missed most of the last with a shoulder injury.

“There is always someone worse off,” an upbeat Phil explained recently.

That’s optimism from someone who spent eight months nursing fractured vertebrae, before being brought down and kicked by another horse 16 days after his race riding return.

He has fractured his skull in two places, leaving him deaf in one ear, but has not given up the idea of returning to race riding.

These lads earn £160 a ride, risk their lives and constantly remind us they are the lucky ones. Maybe our multi-millionaire football players could take a leaf out of their book.

Today is the Brocklesby point to point in Lincolnshire and will be well attended by the Yorkshire contingency. Jenny Burt, the meeting secretary, has endured a harrowing week.

Her computer went into melt down on Sunday morning taking the entries list with it.