Horse Racing

Murtagh Fractures Cheekbone

Leading Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh may be facing a significant stint on the sidelines after fracturing his cheekbone in a fall at Curragh on Sunday.

Murtagh was injured riding Lottie Dod prior to the start of the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.

The jockey went immediately to St James’s Hospital in Dublin where scans revealed he had a hairline fracture in his cheekbone.

Curragh Turf Cub’s doctor Adrian McGoldrick said in a statement: “I’ve just spoken to Johnny and he has confirmed he has a hairline fracture of his zygoma. That was what I thought on Sunday and it has been confirmed this morning. He will return to see his specialist on Wednesday and then they will decide what needs to be done. He will obviously be stood down until Wednesday and we will hopefully have more news after Johnny has seen his specialist again.”

Murtagh is undergoing further tests today to try and establish the extent of the injury.

It is currently unknown how long Murtagh is expected to be out for.

Murtagh is the former number one jockey for Coolmore Stud.

Between 2007 and 2010 he rode an incredible 47 Group 1 Winners, most of which were for legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Murtagh has ridden winners in eight different countries including the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase and UAE Derby as well as the American Breeders Cup Marathon, Mile and Turf.

His most famous mount was the legendary Yeats who he rode to victory in the Prix Royal-Oak and both the 2008 and 2009 Ascot Gold Cup’s.