Jockeys Tony Dobbin and Darren O'Sullivan last night faced the agonies of having dislocated shoulders put back into place after suffering falls. While Dobbin was relieved to discover, after X-rays in Stockton, that he had not fractured his shoulder, O'Sullivan was having his shoulder put back in place in Yeovil. Fears that Dobbin may be missing from the track for around three months were allayed on the news that there was no fracture but the Grand National winning pilot still faces a substantial layoff according to his agent Richard Hale.

"It is a dislocation not a fracture and he has chipped his shoulder bone," said Hale last night.

"Time-wise his return will be quicker than if he had fractured the shoulder but it is a bad dislocation and he still faces a spell off."

Dobbin was injured when Eden fell while leading at the fifth last in the W A Stephenson Memorial Novices' Chase, at Sedgefield.

Meanwhile, O'Sullivan was injured when Mister Generosity fell in the opening Great Western Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton.