Injury blow to National jockey

THE Grand National dreams of Lewes jockey Jamie Goldstein were dashed on Wednesday when he fell at Ludlow three days before the big race and broke his leg.

Former Priory School pupil Jamie, 23, had been due to ride Bindaree, a leading contender, in tomorrow's world famous race.

Instead yesterday (Thursday) he found himself in Shrewsbury Hospital having his leg pinned.

And it has been a tough year all round for Jamie, whose father Ray runs Hamsey Riding School on the Brighton Road.

Jamie badly injured his back last Easter and was out for five months. He then rode seven winners before falling and hurting his back again at Haydock on Saturday.

He recovered from that to ride Say When at Ludlow on Wednesday in a novice chase and was kicked, after falling, by a backmarker.

Said father Ray: 'At least it was a clean snap, but he is feeling down having missed a good ride with a horse that has a real National chance. He will also miss the rest of the season and the beginning of the next.

'But he won't think of packing it in. He has proved he can ride the big races after having won the Hennessy.

'It is a pity because a lot of bets are placed on him locally. A lot of Lewes people have followed his career.'

It would have been Jamie's second attempt at the Grand National last year he fell at the first fence on Spanish Main. He was unhurt that time.

His current injury also comes as a blow to the Cotswold yard of Nigel Twiston-Davies which has three runners in the Grand National, including Bindaree.

Ray Goldstein broke quite a few bones of his own during a long and distinguished career as a jockey.