---
title: "Jockey Tony Kelly has back surgery after horrific fall"
canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2018/04/23/jockey-tony-kelly-has-back-surgery-after-horrific-fall/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Abdullah Mulla"
section: "News"
published: "2018-04-23T13:15:25Z"
modified: "2018-04-23T13:15:25Z"
---

# Jockey Tony Kelly has back surgery after horrific fall

Jockey Tony Kelly has had back surgery after falling during a handicap chase at Southwell last week, according to a report on the [Racing Post](https://www.racingpost.com/news/news/back-surgery-for-jockey-tony-kelly-after-southwell-fall/328617).

The jockey had the surgery today morning at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham in an attempt to stabilise his back after the fall.

As a result of the fall, Kelly fractured his T7 vertebra and surgery was required to ensure that the effects are reduced as much as possible.

![Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2018/04/185712130.jpg)

He was three fences from the finish line when he fell off from horse Captain Mowbray, which is trained by Rebecca Menzies.

Menzies said today:

> I went to see him last night. He’s flat on his back and frustrated but he’s very, very lucky as it could have been much worse.

> A plate and rods are being put in to stabilise his back. He’s got feeling and movement, so it’s very fixable. It was quite a simple fall and he wasn’t knocked out but he landed right on his back. He’s in the best place.

This is Kelly’s eighth season as a jockey and at the moment, there is no expected return date being given as there is a no clear idea of how long it will take him to recover from the injury.