Princess Anne opens Taunton centre for injured jockeys

The injuries some jockeys sustain can be serious

A new centre for injured jockeys has been opened by the Princess Royal.

The centre in Taunton, Somerset, will provide rehabilitation and strength and conditioning for injured jockeys, paid for by the Injured Jockeys Fund.

President of the fund, Sir AP McCoy said the work it did was "amazing."

"Very few sports have what we have in horse racing, and people who have life-changing injuries do get cared for well," he added.

The hub will save a long journey to the fund's other centre in Lambourn, Berkshire.

Princess Anne is a patron of the fund

Adam Rutter, a physiotherapist at the centre, said riders often experienced injuries which needed significant work.

"Falling off a horse can do a lot of trauma.

"The reality is they're all smash injuries that we don't like to deal with too often.

"With these facilities we can set plans to get them back racing when its safe to do so," he said.

Apprentice jockey Oliver Searle was injured early in his career

Apprentice jockey Oliver Searle has already had a hip operation after an injury.

"It took three months to come back from, but this new hub is great.

"Before we had a long journey to Lambourn but now this facility is here it's perfect," he said.