Hard-as-nails jockey Callum Shepherd suffers hole in head from horror fall hours before winning £100,000 Ascot treble

JOCKEY Callum Shepherd suffered a hole in his head after an awful Ascot unseat - just hours before winning a £100,000 treble.

The top-class Flat rider - who has had a tumultuous year - was seen getting into the back of an ambulance at the Berkshire track last Friday.

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Yet he was back the very next day riding a remarkable treble, which included victory in the feature on Quddwah.

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He was bandaged up and looking extremely sore in the winner's enclosure.

But he was all heart on the inside, his awesome hat-trick testament to that.

Here, Sun Racing columnist Matt Chapman explains that awful photo - and why this jockey, and all the others, deserve all the respect in the world.

Matt Chapman says…

Can you think of any sport that you begin battle smashed up? I can’t.

Plenty you end up in trouble, but not many the pain is already there.

For jockeys, there is often a moment when you have to ride - in fact it can be easier to ride than walk - in a conditions most people wouldn’t even dream of.

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That was certainly the case on Saturday at Ascot for Callum Shepherd.

Many of you will have seen a picture of Callum bandaged up after he rode a superb treble on Quddwah in the feature Group 2 Summer Mile, Surveyor and Kodi Lion.

Shepherd is absolutely in the groove.

It's quite incredible really because the day earlier he had a fall at the same track after being unseated from the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Magnum Opus in a mile handicap.

Not many have seen the photo of him shortly after that. But you can see it above.

It's so gnarly we have decided to blur the worst of it out.

Shepherd has been sensational this term on and off the track, and it will forever remain one of the mysteries of the world how he was removed from Ambiente Friendly in the Derby after landing the Lingfield Derby Trial.

A proper man and jockey. Well done.

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