Lyle plans to be riding on Sunday

Lyle Hewitson is hoping to be back in the saddle this weekend after doctors cleared him of any serious injuries following his nasty fall at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Speared into the turf when his mount, Joyful Hunter, appeared to clip heels at the top of the straight in Sunday’s ninth race, Hewitson suffered an acute sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and heavy bruising to the base of his quadriceps, while he also has some bruising in his right big toe.

“It’s unreal. I’m very, very lucky,” said Hewitson. “To be honest I’ve actually improved a lot. I couldn't even really stand much yesterday and I’m already hobbling around today, so I’m doing quite well.

“I’ll need a few days physio to reduce the pain and reduce the swelling so I have movement back, but I will be back for the weekend.”

Hewitson was sent cartwheeling on the Sha Tin turf after James McDonald muscled his way out in search of clear running aboard Swift Ascend, making heavy contact with Lucky Archangel and forcing that horse into the path of Joyful Hunter. McDonald was suspended for seven meetings and fined HK$60,000 for causing the fall.

Hewitson says he remembers everything about the tumble, which saw him roll under the legs of the Hugh Bowman-ridden Aeris Nova but miraculously avoid more serious contact with that galloper.

“It’s crazy. I’m wondering if maybe its leg is what hit me on my leg, or if I just sort of landed with one knee pushing into the ground,” said the South African jockey, who is no stranger to nasty race falls after fracturing his pelvis in the horror four-horse pile up that marred the 2021 Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) almost three years ago to the day. - South China Morning Post