Sean Flanagan’s William Hill blog: Operation on broken hand rules me out of Galway

Injury Update

When I came off Hard Target at Killarney on Friday, it felt like a run-of-the-mill fall, but on looking down at my hand, I realised all might not be well. It turned out that I’d broken a metacarpal bone and have had to have an operation to put it right. It looks like I’m going to be out for around five to six weeks, which unfortunately means I’m going to miss the Galway Festival.

This is obviously hugely gutting news. Galway is a meeting I always look forward to each summer, but it is what it is, and I’ll just have to take it on the chin. We’re so lucky in Ireland to have Dr Paddy Kenny looking after us jockeys, and all going well with my rehab, I’d hope to be back in action for Listowel in September.

Given the nature of Galway, I’m not sure exactly on the rides which I’ll have missed out on at this stage, but either way, it’s still a massive shame to be on the sidelines. Before I know it, though, the Jumps season proper will have rolled around, and I’m already looking forward to what the winter has to offer.