Jockey JT McNamara paralysed by Cheltenham fall
Doctors have confirmed that Irish amateur jockey JT McNamara was paralysed as a result of a fall at the Cheltenham Festival.
The 37-year-old fractured the C3 and C4 vertebrae at the top of his spine, falling from Galaxy Rock in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup on 14 March. He was put into an induced coma, which he was brought out of last week.
“JT McNamara remains in the Frenchay Hospital, Bristol. While he suffered a serious neck injury resulting in paralysis, he has made progress in the last week and is in a very positive frame of mind,” said a statement issued by Dr Adrian McGoldrick, Irish Turf Club Senior medical officer and the Injured Jockeys Fund.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.