Phil Kinsella, number one jockey to Norton trainer Malcolm Jefferson, has been relegated to the sidelines – after being diagnosed with a fractured neck.

Kinsella, whose injury was discovered after a couple of heavy falls, is currently wearing a neck brace and will have to continue wearing it until he returns to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough in four weeks time when his condition, rate of recovery and likely comeback date will be re-assessed.

He said: “After I had a fall at Kelso on April 11, I was having physio on my neck, plus I had an X-ray taken, which found nothing.

“I carried on riding and, 10 days later, I got brought down on a horse at Southwell. I was then getting pain in a few different places, including between my shoulder blades, but I’ve since been told that when you have a neck fracture, it can transfer the pain elsewhere.

“The physio I was having after that brought little relief, so in the end, I went to the ‘James Cook’ and had an X-ray and a CT scan, which revealed the fracture – of the C6 vertebrae – as clear as day.”

Kinsella added: “It’s hard to say when exactly I did it, but during that period of the two falls, I rode four or five winners, including a big chase at Perth and a double for Malcolm at Market Rasen.”

The jockey is not in any real pain. He explained: “It’s a stable fracture, which is obviously a good thing and it’s just a question now of being patient.

“The neck-brace I’m wearing is for support and I keep it on, except when I’m sleeping or eating. I’ll go back to hospital for another X-ray in a month and then we’ll take it from there.”

•Tim Easterby can do little wrong at present and the Great Habton trainer, who sent out one winner, Mullglen, and three seconds at Thirsk last Saturday, doubled-up at Hamilton the following day with Fibs And Flannel and Top Bid.

Owned by Jim McGrath of Channel 4 racing, Fibs And Flannel was following-up a recent Beverley success and the smooth nature of his latest victory under a confident Dave Allan confirmed him to be a horse very much on the upgrade.

Graham Gibbons was the jockey on board Top Bid, who fairly blitzed his rivals in Hamilton’s sprint handicap.

With runners at Chester this week, including Hamish McGonagall, Easterby will also be well represented at York next week.

Worth watching out for on Knavesmire are Cocktail Charlie, his smart juvenile, who made a winning debut at Ripon, and Captain Dunne, who looked a desperately unlucky loser at Newcastle last week.

•Nigel Tinkler is another trainer with his horses in excellent form.

French Art did the business for the Langton handler at Pontefract last week, and looks the type to continue to pay his way.

Also worth watching out for from the Tinkler yard are a couple of two-year-olds – Saltergate, who finished a head second to Misty Morn at Redcar after meeting trouble in running, and Last Destination, who made a promising debut at Beverley earlier this week, only being denied a winning bow in the dying strides.

Both horses should not be long in getting their heads in front.

•The Gazette & Herald’s ‘Ten to Follow’ has also struck form in the last week, with the Julie Camacho-trained Beat The Rush, the evens favourite, coming home with plenty to spare at Pontefract, and Hoof It, trained by Mick Easterby, doing the business at 6-1 at Beverley on Monday.

Owned by top golfer Lee Westwood and his manager, Chubby Chandler, Hoof It did his job in good style under Graham Gibbons over five furlongs and looks the sort of horse to continue paying his way.

Beat The Rush, whose only juvenile success had been achieved at Pontefract, showed his liking for the track with a clear-cut success in handicap company on his latest start.

“He’s a horse we’ve always liked and what was encouraging about him was that, even when he was weak last year, he was still showing ability,” said Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant trainer.

“His pedigree suggests a mile-and-a-half is what he wants, but he’s a strong travelling horse with gears and, in the right race on the right course, we wouldn’t be opposed to dropping him back in trip.”

•Tom Eaves, in-form partner of Beat The Rush, enjoyed a cracking ride in the 1,000 Guineas last Sunday.

Aboard 66-1 shot Distinctive, trained by Bryan Smart, Eaves brought her home in a very creditable fifth place, which produced prize money of more than £10,000.

That was Eaves’ first-ever mount in a Classic. He had also been due to partner Arry’s Orse, trained by Smart for Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, in the 2,000 Guineas, but an infection ruled out the colt from Newmarket action.

The outcome of the 2,000 Guineas, won by bargain-buy Makfi, a 33-1 shot, was a huge feather in the cap of French trainer Mikel Delzangles, who, back in 1989, spent a year in Ryedale as a pupil-assistant to the late Jimmy FitzGerald, who trained many good horses for Mikel’s godmother, the Marquesa de Moratella.

•Alan Brown may only have seven two-year-olds under his care, but the Yedingham trainer has at least a couple of speedy ones and is eyeing a tilt at the prestigious Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley later this month.

Having recently sent out Meandmyshadow to win at Ripon, Brown followed-up last week at Redcar with Misty Morn, who made every yard of the running to win in determined style in a photo-finish under Graham Gibbons.

Brown said: “She was just idling a bit in front, but she’s very speedy and the quick ground suited her.

“I think she is good enough to go for the Hilary Needler, but it would depend on the ground, the same as it would for Meandmyshadow, who prefers an easier surface. We’ll probably run one of them.”

•Finally, there’s no lack of promise and potential among Ryedale’s apprentice brigade, a fact endorsed on Bank Holiday Monday when Ian Brennan rode a mighty race for his boss John Quinn aboard 4-1 winner King Fingal at Beverley.

Neil Farley also looked the business at Warwick on 5-2 winner Whipma Whopma Gate, trained by his Sledmere guv’nor Declan Carroll.