Sombre mood at Doncaster

The final turf fixture of the season at Doncaster on Saturday was engulfed by sadness as the racing world struggled to come to terms with Freddy Tylicki's paralysis.

Tylicki has been told by doctors he has a T7 paralysis, meaning he has movement in the upper half of his body but not the lower, after he sustained spinal injuries in a fall at Kempton on Monday.

The 30-year-old remains in intensive care at St George's Hospital, in Tooting, and will not be seeing visitors for the foreseeable future.

St Leger-winning jockey George Baker summed up the whole mood at Doncaster.

"It's devastating news," he said.

"We had an idea it wasn't going to be good news the longer the week went on, but when it was finally confirmed, it still hit us hard.

"The weighing room is a very sombre place at the moment, we're all still in shock. Our thoughts are obviously with Freddy and his family.

"I'm sure we'll all rally around and try to keep his spirits up."

Tylicki made his breakthrough as an apprentice for Richard Fahey in Malton when Paul Hanagan was stable jockey at the time.

"I think I speak for all the weighing room in saying our thoughts are with Freddy and his family at this difficult time," said Hanagan.

"There's usually lots going on in the weighing room but it is very quiet in there today."

Paul Mulrennan has been friendly with Tylicki for some time due to his roots in the north, and had tears in his eyes at the South Yorkshire circuit.

"I really don't know what to say, it's hit us hard," said Mulrennan.

"We're of a similar age and he spent a lot of time up north when he was starting out. His career was really on the up, he'd made a big breakthrough this season — it's just so sad.

"He's a real live-wire, always cracking jokes, such a positive person. If anyone can get through something like this he has the attitude to do it.

"The weighing room is not a great place to be today, we're not sure what to say."

Former trainer Jack Berry, the mastermind behind the new jockeys' rehabilitation centre in Malton, Jack Berry House, said: "It's desperate news.

"He's a cracking kid, always very cheerful, and he'd made a huge breakthrough this year, riding two Group One winners for James Fanshawe.

"The one small consolation is that he'll be very well looked after by the Injured Jockeys Fund.

"It's a very strange atmosphere here."