Racing: Injured Carberry may miss Festival

PAUL CARBERRY sustained a broken collar-bone at Navan yesterday that jeopardises his chances of riding at the Cheltenham Festival.

The jockey took a crashing fall from Wyatt in the handicap chase and was quickly removed to the local hospital for an x-ray examination. Noel Meade, Wyatt's trainer, reported: "It could be a bad break. It's a real shame at this stage."

Carberry's misfortune happened in a race won by Linden's Lotto, ridden by Adrian Maguire for the Tony Martin stable, triumphant at Newcastle on Saturday with Hollybank Buck.

Carberry had earlier reduced Ruby Walsh's lead at the head of the jockeys' table to five when he took the Boyne Hurdle on Sallie's Girl from Derrymoyle with Len Lungo's Birkdale third and Commanche Court last of the four runners.

Although she is entered in three races at the Festival, Sallie's Girl is more likely to stay at home as she needs very testing ground to be effective.

Alexander Prize made an impressive debut in the concluding bumper for Willie Mullins and was immediately nominated for the Cheltenham Festival bumper which the trainer has won for the past three years.

Carlisle's meeting today is subject to an 8am inspection. Snow, hail, sleet and rain have hit the course and there is water on the track.

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