Jockey Toole has ridden 30 winners in the 2010-11 season

Peter Toole has left intensive care as he continues to recover from his fall at Aintree on Grand National day.

The 22-year-old jockey suffered bleeding on the right side of his brain when Classic Fly fell at the first fence in the Maghull Novices' Chase.

He was taken out of a medically induced coma last Thursday and is now in the high dependency Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool.

Amateur rider Richard Hawkins is also recovering after a bad fall at Taunton.

Hawkins, 21, regained consciousness on Wednesday - and Irishman Toole is also said to be making progress on a daily basis.

Friend and fellow jockey David Crosse said on Wednesday: "He is making slight progress everyday, he is moving his hand and squeezing it when you hold his.

"He remains asleep but looks like he could wake at any time. His mother is and has been with him from the day it happened."

Toole, from County Meath, was injured on 9 April, three days before Hawkins suffered an injury of similar severity.

Jockeys have been sending their best wishes on social networking site Twitter and more than 3,000 people have joined a Facebook group called Get Well Peter Toole.

The Injured Jockeys' Fund and Aintree racecourse have been supporting Toole's parents, who were at the Aintree meeting.

"They have been overwhelmed by the number of messages and cards they have received and would like to say thank you to all their well-wishers," said a spokesman.

Toole has ridden 30 winners this season, with his biggest success coming aboard the Charlie Mann-trained Fine Parchment in the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury in March.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version