Kempton fall: Racing prays with Freddy Tylicki in intensive care as Jim Crowley released from hospital after four-horse pile up
Both jockeys were taken on spinal boards to the major trauma unit at St George's Hospital in Tooting
RACING has been praying as two jockeys were taken to hospital with fears of spine injuries after a four-horse pile up.
Freddy Tylicki remains in intensive care but is in a stable condition and conscious after a relieved Jim Crowley was released from hospital.
Both jockeys were taken on spinal boards to the major trauma unit at St George's Hospital in Tooting.
Tylicki was taken by helicopter, while Crowley was taken by road.
Course medics treated the stricken jockeys on the track for more than an hour.
The mood at the track was sombre as the jockeys were being treated and they were reported to be conscious when taken to hospital.
Tylicki and Crowley were thrown to the ground in the one-mile Flat race, as were fellow jockeys Steve Drowne and Ted Durcan.
Drowne and Durcan escaped injury and walked back to the weighing room.
The four horses were also reported to have escaped serious injury too.
The carnage happened on the home turn in the 3.20 when the horse Tylicki was riding Nellie Dean clipped the hind legs of the horse in front - the eventual winner Madame Butterfly - and fell, bringing down three more.
Crowley and Electrify were racing immediately behind and crashed to the ground.
Drowne's mount Skara Mae. Durcan was also caught up in the melee and was unseated from Sovrano Dolce.
As concern grew, officials at Kempton held talks with fellow jockeys and agreed to call off the rest of the afternoon's racing as a mark of respect.
Crowley, 38, had only recently won the jockeys championship for the first time. He has ridden 184 winners this year.
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He had been due to ride Algometer in a Group 1 race in Munich this afternoon.
Tylicki, 30, has ridden 40 winners and this season celebrated his first-ever Group 1 victories on filly Speedy Boarding.
Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: "Both jockeys received the best medical attention possible before being taken to hospital.
"Both were placed on spinal boards and both gave their consent to me and the doctor to update their next of kin family members.
"We can't say anymore than that at this stage but we pray both Freddy and Jim are okay.
"I spoke to Steve and Ted. Both were shaken up but fine.
"Having discussed it with the jockeys and the stewards it was a unanimous decision to call off the last four races, as a mark of respect to the two lads who had been injured."
Incidents as bad as this are rare on the Flat although, due to the speeds involved, when they do happen, they often result in more serious injuries.