A promising young jockey faces weeks of recovery after crushing two vertebrae in a serious fall.

Jamie Moore, 19, was thrown from his horse, Isard III, when he stumbled at an open ditch before the fifth fence at Newton Abbott races on Wednesday.

His family was still waiting for the results of a full body scan but have been told he will walk again.

Doctors said he could be riding within six to eight weeks.

Yesterday Jamie's father, trainer and former jockey Gary Moore, was at the family home in Woodingdean, Brighton, while his mother, Jayne, kept a vigil by their son's bedside in Torbay General Hospital, Devon.

Mr Moore said: "Jamie told me he had never been so scared in his life. He realised he couldn't feel his legs but that has come back now.

"When any jockey has a fall it's nerve-racking but when it's your own son it's even worse.

"Seeing him lying there on the floor motionless was very scary."

Before his fall, Jamie had been the bookies' favourite to win the 3.25pm novices' chase.

His parents watched in horror as they saw him tumble from the horse.

While the other horses thundered past the injured jockey, paramedics rushed to Jamie's aid but it took them 20 minutes to get him safely off the racecourse.

Mrs Moore said: "The first we knew about it was when we saw it on the TV. Because it was the first time he's fallen it was very scary and he didn't get straight up. With the job he does you do expect it and the medical care he's received has been fantastic.

"He's been upbeat so far but is having trouble keeping himself occupied. He's just lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He hasn't been allowed to move so he's thoroughly bored.

"We're hoping he will be allowed home with just a back brace and should be able to ride out again in six to eight weeks."

Yesterday, Jamie could not even sit up in his hospital bed to watch his older brother Ryan, 20, compete at Goodwood.

Mr Moore, who owns the Brighton-based Ingleside Racing Stables, said Jamie hoped to be back in the saddle shortly.

He said: "As far as we know he's crushed two vertebrae but we are waiting to talk to the consultant. He'll have to take a month or six weeks off."

The course at Newton Abbott is becoming a recurring nightmare for Jamie, who was riding for trainer Martin Pipe.

He encountered problems at the same fence when he last rode Isard III only weeks earlier but last time Jamie managed to guide the eight-year-old gelding to victory.

Patrick Masterson, managing director at Newton Abbott, said the ground had not been wet or slippy and the going was good to firm, normal conditions for this time of year.

Mr Pipe, who has visited Jamie in hospital, said: "He will probably spend a couple of months on his back and he's already feeling very frustrated. He had a Racing Post by his bed when I saw him and some of his jockey friends are coming to visit him so that should cheer him up.

"Jamie has a very promising career ahead of him and he was looking forward to a big season. I've told him we'll save some winners for him."

Jamie made the headlines when he was one of the youngest jockeys in the Grand National last year at the age of 18.

He racked up 15 wins, six of them in one week, to take his place next to the 39 other top jockeys at Britain's most prestigious steeplechase.

Jamie finished 13th out of the 14 riders who completed the gruelling course at Aintree.

He was named champion conditional last year - the title given to the top young jockey of the season.