Superstar model-turned-jockey fears she could be forced to retire from £40million career after run-in with geese
SUPERSTAR model-turned-jockey Chantal Sutherland fears she could be forced to retire from racing – after a nightmarish run-in with geese.
Sutherland, who has won more than £40million during her career and starred in TV shows, film and was named one of the world’s ‘100 most beautiful people’, admits her injury is ‘not getting any better’.
The famed rider’s left arm was ‘left dangling’ after she was ‘slingshotted’ off her horse when he got spooked by geese invading the Gulfstream track in Florida, US, last May.
Sutherland, 47, said ‘everyone started screaming’ when they saw the extent of her injury.
Her funny bone had come completely off her shoulder after her arm literally snapped as she smashed into the turf.
Recovery has been slow, painful and, so far, unsuccessful.
Now Sutherland fears she may have no choice but to retire from racing as, eight months on, she is still unable to ride and simply ‘praying for a miracle’.
She told Thoroughbred Daily News: “I feel like I’m at a certain point and it’s not getting better right now.
“My doctor said it will need time. Obviously, when you’re a jockey, time is not your friend.
“I would love to be able to ride again. That’s the dream. But the reality is I really don’t know.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that, that I have to retire.
“I’m not in any position to ride at a top level. There’s no way. It would be dangerous and I have to get to the point where I can use my left arm. I can’t.
“My arm won’t straighten and I have a three second delay from my brain to arm. It needs a lot more work.
“I’ve been working really hard at it. I dream of racing again, but I don’t know.”
The incident happened when the geese crossed the track to get food provided for them by a horse trainer.
Sutherland, who raced in Ascot’s Shergar Cup a few years ago, said the person she holds responsible for the crash has not reached out and that she has been left furious by the whole ordeal.
She added: “Am I really p***ed off? Yes.
“I’ve gone through a lot of anger with this. I was alone. I was really depressed. I wanted to give up.
“I am pretty stable but talking about it is too hard.
“I had a good five, seven years left as a jockey. It hurts a lot.”
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