Elsworth pointing way forward for Kinsella

The horrific fall left him permanently deaf in his left ear, and caused nerve damage to his face that is affecting his eyesight, but the 28-year-old Northallerton rider is determined these injuries will not curtail his career.

He takes heart from the fact that Dominic Elsworth has successfully returned to the saddle after a 14-month concussion lay-off – the Guiseley-born rider was one of the first people to telephone Kinsella in hospital to tell him to “be positive”.

Kinsella, who had only been back in action for 16 days following his neck injury, is realistic enough to realise that his injuries could have been even more serious.

“At least I’m still in one piece and not in a wheelchair,” he told the Yorkshire Post before being transferred yesterday, by ambulance, from Lincoln Hospital to the James Cook in Middlesbrough.

“It is so frustrating but I’ve just got to get on with it and be as positive as possible.

“Dominic has shown what is possible. The hardest thing will be trying to remain patient.”

Kinsella could not remove the smile from his face when booting home Lady Anne Nevill, a 50-1 outsider, at Wetherby on Saturday.

He proved to those present that he had lost none of his race-riding and tactical acumen as he timed the horse’s winning run to perfection.

Four days later, he was being stretchered into an ambulance after a horrific first-flight fall at Market Rasen.

Kinsella was partnering Brink when he was hampered by Sir Pitt, who unseated Daryl Jacob.

In the ensuing melee, the Yorkshireman hit the turf and was then struck by a stray hoof as the remaining horses galloped over the prone riders.

The jockey believes that the initial fall left him momentarily stunned and thus unable to curl up into a ball to protect his prone body from the backmarkers galloping over the hurdle.

“I remember everything, including being kicked by Tim Easterby’s horse,” he added.

“When I was on the floor, one eye wouldn’t open and one eye wouldn’t shut.

“I had double vision and everything was shaking. The only good thing, from a medical perspective, is that I wasn’t knocked out.

“They thought I had broken my jaw. If only. One of the skull fractures appears to have left me deaf in my left ear, and that will be permanent. There’s also nerve damage that is affecting my face and my eyes – hopefully that will settle. The doctors say my brain will, in time, adapt to this, but we’ll see.”

Kinsella accepts that such risks are part and parcel of a jockey’s life.

After a heavy fall last April, he continued riding for 12 days – and suffered two more falls – before the seriousness of his neck injury was diagnosed.

Yet, it is still rare for a rider to suffer two serious injuries in such a short timeframe.

He felt that he was just re-establishing his career and his contacts – he lost his job as stable jockey to Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson during his previous lay-off – before misfortune struck again.

“I’d won a race at Newcastle which I’d been expected to win but I was absolutely floating after Wetherby on Saturday because it was so unexpected,” he added.

“Everybody was talking about it, there was a big crowd and it sort of showed people that Phil Kinsella was back.

“Now I don’t know how long I will be out. But I would just like to thank everyone for all their support. With so many people behind me, I’m sure I can make it back to the saddle – that is what I’m aiming for. People like Dominic give me hope.”

Champion jockey Tony McCoy hopes a return to a flatter track will help last year’s winner Get Me Out Of Here bounce back to form in tomorrow’s totesport Trophy at Newbury.

Impressive winner of the race 12 months ago, he looked a hot prospect when denied only narrowly by Menorah – now one of the country’s top hurdlers – in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham a month later.

However, a novice chase career was shelved before Get Me Out Of Here had even jumped a fence in public, but two runs over hurdles this season have hardly been spectacular.

“He has had problems all winter, and I’m kind of wondering if maybe the flat track will suit him,” said McCoy.

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