Noel Fehily avoids serious injury and is in 'good spirits' after Newton Abbot fall

Noel Fehily won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2012

Jockey Noel Fehily is "in good spirits" after avoiding serious injury in a fall at Newton Abbot on Wednesday.

Fehily, 40, was airlifted to hospital in Plymouth after being unseated from the Nick Mitchell-trained Hinxworth in the handicap hurdle at 16:10 BST.

Racing was delayed by more than 30 minutes as medics attended to Fehily, who was taken to Derriford Hospital for precautionary X-rays on his back.

His agent Chris Board said "nothing too bad" showed up on scans.

"He's very bruised and sore in the back area, but they've done all the X-rays and scans and couldn't find an issue," said Broad.

"They kept him in overnight for observation but, fingers crossed, there's nothing too bad."

Irishman Fehily rode 122 winners last season.

His big-race victories include the 2012 Champion Hurdle with Rock on Ruby, and two King George VI Chase wins on Silviniaco Conti.