Setback for Webber's Title Hopes

Henk Steenkamp

Gqeberha-based jockey Eldin Webber was well on his way to the local East Cape title, but has suffered a huge setback. A broken leg has put an end to his season after an incident on Monday morning at Fairview when he got kicked by a horse.

“The operation went well. They cut the muscle out and put the bones together. “It was a clean break and no pins were needed,” Webber said. He explained that the incident happened when he was riding work. “The horse behind me was a bit temperamental with the rider aboard. “I moved out of the way to let them pass, but as I moved away the horse started to kick me and broke my leg.”

Eldin was already in good spirits when he was visited by the other Fairview jockeys at the Greenacres hospital. He was jokingly enquiring which rides he will take up next week, but unfortunately can now only sit and wait to see what happens in the title race. “If they can’t catch me, then I don’t know. They are four winners behind me and there are still two months of the season left.

“If I do win it in the end it will be a gift from God. That’s how I see it,” Webber added. Doctor Shaun January said Webber should be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.

"His recovery process will be 8 to 10 weeks," he added.

The title race is now wide open. Webber has ridden 15 winners, but three jockeys are in the chasing pack.

Charles Ndlovu, Sandile Khathi and Yuzae Ramzan have all ridden 11 winners. Stallone Naidoo (8) and last season’s champion, Kendall Minnie (6), have the more difficult task of catching Webber.