O’Keeffe out of Cheltenham and set for short spell on sidelines Darragh O’Keeffe was ruled out of Cheltenham’s Paddy Power meeting and will be on the sidelines for a short spell through injury following a fall at Thurles on Thursday. O’Keeffe, who replaced Rachael Blackmore as Henry de Bromhead’s number one rider upon her retirement, was due to ride July Flower in the Paddy Power Gold Cup among four rides on Saturday. He was also set to partner King’s Bucks in Friday’s Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices’ Chase, although he was declared a non-runner due to the going shortly before midday. Thurles Falls Force Hospital Visits O’Keeffe was unseated from Onefortheditch, having earlier ridden two winners. Claiming professional Conor Clarke is also out injured with a collar bone injury from a fall from Tir Og on the same card. A statement from Dr Jennifer Pugh, chief medical officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, read: “Darragh O’Keeffe was stood down following a fall at Thurles yesterday. He was talking and walking before being transferred to University Hospital Limerick where he remained overnight and received treatment for an abdominal injury. “Darragh is in good spirits but will be out for a short period of time. “Conor Clarke was also transferred to Limerick where he received treatment on a collar bone injury.”
