I made £50million as a jockey but these days I just lay on the floor sobbing – something went drastically wrong

9 months ago 73

A TOP jockey who’s won £50million throughout his career has revealed how a crippling back injury left him on the floor sobbing in agony.

Larry Cassidy picked up the nickname ‘Last Race Larry’ for his uncanny ability to win the finale at Brisbane racetrack in Australia over the years.

But the 40-time Group 1 winner has gone into horrifying detail about how ferocious back pain meant all he could after coming home from competing was lie on the floor.

Cassidy, 53, ruptured a disc last April and underwent some physio in hope of alleviating the problem.

But it turned out his back needed to be surgically repaired – an issue made clear when he spent the night in tears on the hospital floor unable to move.

Cassidy told Racenet: “Doctors told me to get a cortisone injection in my back and they said it should give me some relief.

“But I got no relief whatsoever and I ended up in hospital.

“I couldn’t get off the floor, I was screaming in pain and deadset sobbing, it was horrific.

“I could not move. If I moved a little bit, the pain was just excruciating.

“I have had really bad kidney stones before – but this is a lot worse.”

Cassidy said he was racing in Doomben when he just felt something in his back ‘go’.

He explained: “Throughout the race I was getting pains shooting down my leg and up my arm.

“I had no control during the race. I stupidly rode in the next race and the doctors then stood me down.

“The stewards could see there was something drastically wrong with me.

“I had physio for about a month but I realised the pain was getting worse.

“All I have been doing, other than riding, is coming home and laying on the floor and doing exercises.”

Speaking about a timeframe for his return, Cassidy, a legend Down Under, added: “I’m thinking I will be out for six weeks but I’m hoping maybe I could get on a horse in five.”