JOCKEY David Bass suffered serious facial injuries and a member of the groundstaff was knocked down during an incident-packed novice handicap chase at Ascot on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

Bass, who the previous day had ridden Nicky Henderson’s exciting prospect Different Gravey to victory, was in front on Dueling Banjos when he fell heavily at the first fence, bringing down Royal Milan and hampering three other runners.

Expedite also unseated his rider independently at the same fence, but the drama was far from over.

The Kim Bailey-trained Dueling Banjos then galloped loose and knocked down a member of the racecourse’s groundstaff when crashing through the rails on spotting the exit just after the winning post.

The staff member was unhurt, but Bass was not so lucky.

Bailey said the jockey “looked as if he had a bucket of blood thrown over him.”

However, it later transpired the injury was more serious.

Bailey confirmed: “David has multiple fractures to his cheekbone, so we won’t see him for a while. I haven’t been able to speak to him, but he texted me the news. I don’t know how long he’ll be out for.”

The race in which Bass was injured was won by 4-1 joint favourite Beware The Bear ridden by Jeremiah McGrath and trained by Henderson.

The in-form Lambourn trainer said: “Jeremiah said he will win the Welsh National, but not this season -perhaps in three years’ time.”

Sire De Grugy returned to form in the Shawbrook Handicap Chase on Saturday Carrying top-weight, the 10-year-old was always travelling kindly just behind the pace for Jamie Moore.

After a fluent leap at the second last, Sire De Grugy began to tire after the final obstacle and Quite By Chance closed, but was still a length and a half adrift at the line.

Trainer Gary Moore said: “It rates as one of his best performances. He jumped impeccably. “ Philip Hobbs’ Royal Regatta, who has run some of his best races at Ascot, made almost every yard in testing conditions to secure the Grade Two Stella Artois 1965 Chase.

The eight-year-old’s task was made easier when 9-4 favourite Dodging Bullets was pulled up before Swinley Bottom, but he still had to work hard for success.

Hobbs’ wife Sarah said: “Philip was umming and ahhing about running him, but he likes going this way round and he likes Ascot.”

The highly promising Elegant Escape from Colin Tizzard’s yard showed plenty of courage and determination to preserve his unbeaten record under rules in Saturday’s opening race, the Mitie Events & Leisure Novices’ Hurdle.

The Colin Tizzard-trained four-year-old move into the lead on the run down to the penultimate hurdle, but the 8-1 shot was quickly joined for company by favourite Laser Light and useful chaser Aloomomo.

Although headed by Laser Light over both the second-last and final flight, Elegant Escape was not to be denied as he valiantly fought back past the market leader to score by three-quarters of a length.

Jockey Jack Sherwood, a 5lb claimer, celebrated his second winner at the track in as many days after steering Lifeboat Mona to victory on her seasonal return in the Trisoft Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls’s assistant trainer Harry Derham commented: “It was a good performance. The slow pace suited her as she has a real sharp turn of foot.”

Ascot’ s next meeting in on Friday and Saturday, December 16-17