The Turf Club medical officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick is "cautiously optimistic" jockey Shane Prendergast will make a full recovery after suffering injuries to his head and back at a point to point in Co Limerick on Monday.
The 19-year-old rider fell in the last race of the point-to-point season at Ballingarry and was airlifted to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore where he was put in an induced coma. He has been diagnosed with bruising on his brain and has fractures to his T6 and T7 vertebrae.
“We obviously won’t know until we see how he responds when he comes out of the induced coma. We’ll have to see how long it takes. If he comes out of it quickly it will be a good sign,” said McGoldrick on Tuesday.
“The head injury is the priority in the short-term. But regardless of that he will have to have surgery on his spine which will take six months to heal.
“However, I’m cautiously optimistic at this stage he can make a full recovery,” he added.
Prendergast suffered his injuries when his mount, Jack The Snake, slipped up on a bend.
