Cheltenham 2014 took a heavy toll on the sport's top jockeys with Ruby Walsh and Daryl Jacob joining Bryan Cooper on the injury sidelines yesterday.

Walsh sustained a broken arm in a crashing fall from Abbyssial in the Triumph Hurdle and was taken to Gloucester hospital for surgery on a compound fracture.

Missed Gold Cup
He missed out riding the Gold Cup runner-up On His Own, as well as Briar Hill in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle.

Just half an hour after winning the County Hurdle on Lac Fontana, Jacob broke his knee cantering to the post for the Albert Bartlett as his mount, Port Melon, who was crossing the track, jinked and crashed through a plastic running rail near a section of the watching crowd.

Racing was delayed for almost quarter of an hour as Jacob was stretchered into an ambulance.

"He's broken his knee and will be operated on tomorrow. It's not great news," said Jacob's boss, Paul Nicholls afterwards.

Looked horrific
"It looked horrific. Thank goodness he rode that winner, otherwise he would have been suicidal.

“He’s ridden a winner and is generally in good spirits despite having a terrible injury like that.”

Both Abbyssial and Port Melon were unscathed in the incidents.