Thornton talking with his boss Alan King at Fontwell on Monday

Jockey Robert Thornton hopes to return to action in a week to 10 days after suffering a minor back injury in a heavy fall at Leicester on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old was detained overnight in the Leicester Royal Infirmary for tests before being released from hospital on Wednesday.

"He has a minor back injury and will probably have to take a week to 10 days off," said his agent Dave Roberts.

"He's very sore and severely bruised but he'll be back as soon as he can."

Thornton's fall came on board Cracboumwiz, trained by his boss Alan King, in the Dick Christian Novices' Chase.

The pair looked to be getting the better of favourite The Polomoche in the two-mile, four-and-a-half furlong race when Thornton was parted from Cracboumwiz in spectacular fashion at the third-last fence.

606: DEBATE All the best Choc. One of the best jockeys around Cheltenham. Hope you make it there Brigadier_Gerard

He initially tried to get to his feet before being carried from the track on a stretcher.

The fence was so badly damaged that it could not be used for the final handicap chase on the card.

Thornton was top jockey at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival, with four winners, and landed the Champion Hurdle on Katchit a year later.

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