Injured Brooke thanks fans and hopes for quick return

Brooke, 25, was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, when he fell from the Brian Ellison-trained Old Storm at the second fence of a two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.

The Middleham rider was also kicked by another horse when he hit the ground, with racing delayed for almost two hours while he was treated by on-course medical staff before he could be taken to hospital by air ambulance.

Brooke was initially placed in an induced coma but was reported to have regained consciousness on Sunday evening and tweeted an update yesterday morning.

He tweeted: “Thank you so much for everyone’s support and well wishes. On the mend now and hope not to be out for too long.”

Meanwhile, Quiet Reflection and Mecca’s Angel top 17 confirmations for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Quiet Reflection, trained at Leyburn by Karl Burke, has won both the Commonwealth Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup this year, while Mecca’s Angel bagged a second Nunthorpe for Darlington-based Michael Dods at York in August but finished only third in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly under Boroughbridge jockey Paul Mulrennan.

The Group One race is part of a £4.26m raceday which could see 2015 St Leger heroine Simple Verse face a number of familiar rivals if she lines up in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Ralph Beckett’s charge, who also holds an entry in the Long Distance Cup on the same card, won the distaff heat last year.

Sprinter Sacre is likely to have just two starts before defending his Champion Chase crown at the Cheltenham Festival – starting at the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has elected to bypass next month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, a race the 10-year-old won on seasonal return last term after almost two years in the wilderness, in favour of the two-mile Grade One prize at Sandown on December 3.

After his comeback win at Cheltenham in November, Sprinter Sacre enjoyed a fairytale campaign which ended with Grade One glory in the Champion Chase and the Celebration Chase at Sandown. “Sprinter was unbelievable. I think everyone enjoyed it more than I did,” said Henderson.