Burke set for three month absence Leading rider Jonathan Burke will not require surgery but could be sidelined for around three months following the back injury he suffered in a gallops incident on Tuesday. Burke, who is retained jockey to prominent owners Ann and Alan Potts, sustained fractured vertebrae during a schooling session at his father Liam's yard in County Cork. A CT scan on Wednesday morning confirmed Burke had fractured his T6 vertebrae and while he will miss the upcoming Punchestown Festival, he is set for a swift return home from hospital. Senior Turf Club medical officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick said on Wednesday evening: "Johnny will not require surgery and will be fitted with a brace before being discharged on Thursday. "I haven't had the full report yet, but on average it takes around three months, or 12 weeks, to recover from an injury like this." Burke suffered suffered two compressed vertebrae fractures in a fall at Thurles in January, but was fit enough to ride at both the Cheltenham Festival and in the Crabbie's Grand National, in which he finished fifth aboard Goonyella. "This injury is a more serious than the compressed fractures he suffered earlier in the year.," McGoldrick added. "You're usually at looking at somewhere between two and four months. It could be shorter, it could be longer. We'll just have to wait and see."
