Racing: Jockey improving slowly after Doncaster fall

BEVERLEY KENDALL, the jockey who was injured at Doncaster on Saturday when falling from the last horse sent out by the trainer Jack Berry, is making slow progress at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield.

The 20-year-old amateur rider has been taken off sedation after being knocked unconscious in her crashing tumble from the Berry-trained Best Of All.

Berry said: "She's moving her limbs which is an encouraging sign. She's coming around, she just needs a bit of time and space and she'll be all right. Everything's going good."

Kendall, who rode her only winner under rules for Berry on Junior Muffin at Wolverhampton last year, crashed at the half-way stage of the race, bringing a sad end to Berry's training career before his son Alan takes over the reins at his Cockerham stable.

Lydia Pearce, deemed responsible for the fall of Best Of All, is considering an attempt to win back the lady amateur riders' championship by appealing to the Jockey Club against the disqualification of her mount, second- past-the-post King Priam. She was adjudged guilty of "irresponsible riding of a major nature".

"They've blamed me and I can't believe it," Pearce said. "Something else has come across and clipped the heels of the horse that fell.

"I am upset because as far as I am concerned my horse stayed straight. I was drawn six and I stayed there. It is very unfortunate what happened to Beverley, but she was drawn 16 and I don't know how she ended up on my inner."