CHAD Schofield will not need surgery on the two fractured C3 vertebrae endured in yesterday’s Cranbourne three-horse fall, reports Racing Network.

 

Doctors at the Alfred Hospital informed Schofield this afternoon that they would keep his neck in a brace instead of electing for surgery.

 

Victorian Jockeys Association CEO Des O’Keeffe said doctors told Schofield and his parents, Glyn and Tiffany, that scans revealed that the injury may have in fact been an old one.

 

“They think he may have shaken up an old injury,” O’Keeffe said.

 

“Doctors will monitor it really closely over the next couple of days, but the good news is that Chad won’t need surgery.”

 

Schofield, who rode his fourth Group 1 winner this season on Sonntag in last Saturday’s Queensland Derby, was transferred from Dandenong Hospital to the Alfred after doctors became aware of two fractures to his neck.

 

He also received severe bruising to his left thigh region.

 

Steven Arnold plans to resume riding at Flemington on Saturday after he was discharged from Dandenong Hospital last night.

 

Arnold suffered concussion in the fall.

 

Apprentice Ben Thompson is expected to be released later today from Dandenong Hospital after he was heavily concussed in the fall.

 

Thompson’s master Mick Kent said the 16-year-old sent him an Instagram photo of himself giving the thumbs up sign.

 

“He wanted to come to the jump outs this morning, but I told him it was a public holiday and they weren’t on,” laughed Kent.