Jump jockey Henry Brooke undergoes surgery after breaking leg in horror fall at Perth

Jump jockey Henry Brooke has undergone surgery after breaking a leg in a horror fall at Perth on Thursday. The 34-year-old is one of the leading riders in the north whose 62 wins last season was a career best score which placed him 12th in the 2024-25 jump jockeys’ championship.

Brooke, who has ridden 13 winners this term, had five mounts at Perth and was aboard the Diane Sayer-trained 15-2 chance Wearelongterm in the penultimate race, a 3m handicap hurdle.

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Wearelongterm went out to make all the running and led the field into the straight with just two flights to jump but had just been headed when he took a crashing fall. Evenwood Sonofagun fell independently at the same obstacle.

Both horses were quickly up on their feet as well as Sean Quinlan but Brooke stayed on the ground in considerable pain.

The final race was delayed by 15 minutes while racecourse medics attended to Brooke before he was taken to hospital.

His agent Wilson Renwick reported on Thursday that Brooke had suffered a broken fibula and tibia and had undergone surgery.

Sayer said: “Henry is grand. He is in very good spirits. It’s a tough life but he’s a tough lad. Hopefully it will all turn out well.” She added: “The horse is fine, no bother at all.”

Brooke is a former champion conditional rider, claiming the title in 2011-12. His biggest winner to date was in the 2015 Becher Chase at Aintree which he landed on Highland Lodge.

In recent seasons he has forged a strong alliance with the stable of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, winning the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree on Gesskille and a Grade 2 novices’ chase at Cheltenham on Homme Public, in 2023.