Cieren Fallon faces a spell on the sidelines after breaking his back in two places when falling from his mount at Windsor July 1.
The group 1-winning jockey had finished 12th on the Georgie Nicholls-trained Nanna Western in the five-furlong maiden, but was unshipped when coming back down the track towards the paddock.
Fallon was stood down for the remainder of the card and is unsure of when he can return, but is thankful the nasty incident was not as bad as it could have been.
"I've broken my back in two places, but no operation is required and I just need to rest up at home," he said. "I hope to be back in the saddle as soon as I can be, but I've got no timescale of when I can return yet.
"It happened when we were cantering back after the race had finished and the horse's back just went and I was out of the side door straight away. Thankfully it's not as bad as it could've been, but it's obviously frustrating."
The injury comes after Fallon had a fine June, which was his best month in terms of winners for two years. He had been operating at a 24% strike rate in the last fortnight and enjoyed the biggest win of his campaign on Montassib in the Chipchase Stakes (G3) at Newcastle June 29.
It is the second nasty injury that Fallon has suffered in the space of a year. He had previously damaged his knee ligaments in November—a month where he had a 32% strike rate—before returning in March following a four-month layoff.
"I was flying along and Mr. Haggas' horses were starting to hit great form, then you're stopped in your tracks," he said.
"It's one of these things but it's happened to me again where I'd got the ball rolling and then your momentum gets stopped by an injury, as I had it at the end of last year too. I hope I can get back in the saddle soon and continue the red-hot form."
Fallon has ridden 26 winners so far this year, with more than half of those coming for trainer William Haggas after his association as Qatar Racing's second jockey ended.
