Ben Sutton, who won the Highflyer Bloodstock novice men’s championship in 2020/21, will miss the start of the new point-to-point season.
It kicks off the weekend after next with meetings in Worcestershire and Cornwall, but Sutton (pictured above) is side-lined after being knocked out in a fall at Bangor yesterday. Riding seven-year-old Kepy Blanc, owned by Sutton’s father Nick and trained by Philip Hobbs, the amateur rider took a fall at the third fence and was taken to hospital in Wrexham.
Fortunately he was back home in Cirencester this morning, and told the Racing Post: "I was a bit dazed going to Wrexham and you worry about your neck, lower back, hip and pelvis, while my head was very sore as well.
"It wasn't that encouraging, but I was very lucky. The scans were all clear, which is great news. I don't know how I escaped and I'm just badly concussed. I'm resting today and I have just spoken to the BHA's medical adviser Jerry Hill, who has been very helpful setting up the programme for my return."
Sutton, who rode 11 point-to-point winners in his championship season and another six in 2021/22, is best known for his association with the Alan Hill-trained Sir Mangan, who took the Connolly’s RED MILLS leading horse title in 2020. Among horses he will be keen to get back for this season none are rated higher than Mighty Stowaway, who was third in Cheltenham’s Festival Hunters’ Chase in March when trained by Gordon Elliott.
Mighty Stowaway was subsequently bought by Nick Sutton and is now based with Hill.
Ben Sutton and Sir Mangan show a clean pair of heels to their rivals
Gingell’s winning professional debut
Freddie Gingell, who made his debut on the British point-to-point circuit last season, rode his first winner as a conditional jockey yesterday.
Riding Rose Of Arcadia – on whom he won point-to-points at Badbury Rings and Charlton Horethorne last season – Gingell made a perfect start to his career by landing a mares’ handicap hurdle at Chepstow. His winner is trained by his uncle, Joe Tizzard, although Gingell, who rode seven point-to-point winners from 16 rides in the sport, is based with champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
Freddie Gingell