練馬師陳亮鏞車禍重傷,同車馬販Tim Corby傷重不治
Mick Channon will undergo surgery after being seriously injured in a crash in which a life-long friend died.
The Lambourn trainer, 59, and son Jack, 15, were both hurt when the vehicle in which they were travelling crashed on the M1 on Wednesday as they returned to their Berkshire home.
The ex-Southampton and England star's friend, 63-year-old racing agent Tim Corby, of East Ilsley, Berks, died in the crash.
Channon and his youngest son were taken to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre for treatment. The trainer had a "tough old night" in intensive care after suffering broken ribs, a broken arm, a fractured jaw and a punctured lung, said son Michael Channon, 33.
He will undergo surgery on Friday to pin bones in his arm and have his jaw wired.
Jack Channon was left "battered and bruised" but was not seriously injured. He is undergoing medical checks as a precaution, his brother said.
Michael Channon, a video producer, said: "We have been petrified and worried and absolutely out of our wits worrying about our own family. But as for the Corbys, our hearts really go out to them.
"Tim was a friend of Mick's for over 30 years. He was a renowned figure in the racing scene who was universally popular in the industry and he will be sorely missed by the residents of East and West Ilsley, all of his many friends, and most of all the Corby family."
Mr Channon said Mr Corby leaves wife Sheila and daughter Adriana.
He added: "Mick is conscious and able to talk from his hospital bed and he's absolutely devastated at the loss of Tim.
"His heart goes out to Sheila and Adriana."
Police were called to the crash at the M1's junction 24, near Kegworth, at 4.19pm yesterday after a report of a single vehicle leaving the southbound carriageway.
Mr Corby died when the silver Mercedes he was driving left the motorway and hit a concrete pillar, said Leicestershire Police.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Mr Channon was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre by air ambulance.
PC Neil Holmes, who is investigating the incident, said: "The vehicle was travelling past Junction 24 southbound when the incident happened. I am appealing who saw the vehicle beforehand or saw the incident take place to get in touch."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Mr Holmes on 0116 222 2222.
Tony Culhane rides plenty of the Channon-trained horses and was also a close friend of Corby, a leading light in the bloodstock world who originally bought Katchit before he was later sold to Alan King, from where he went on to win the Champion Hurdle.
Culhane told Racing UK: "He was not only a business colleague he was a true friend as well.
"He was always on the phone to me every couple of weeks, especially through my ban telling me to keep my chin up or whatever.
"We had great success in Dubai and all over Europe winning Group and Listed races and he had a very good eye for picking fillies.
"The thing that I remember most about him is that he may sell a horse but he took such pride in their achievements even after they had left him - like Katchit - because it gave someone else pleasure, it gave him great satisfaction.
"I think he was just an all-round good horseman, he had a good eye for a horse and he was comfortable around horses - he was straight down the line too."
Trainer George Margarson had known Corby for almost 30 years. They worked closely together when Corby was racing manager for John Guest, whose Barathea Guest was third in the 2000 Guineas eight years ago.
"It's terrible, it's not sunk in yet," said Margarson.
"I've known him since I was at Mick Ryan's when he was an amateur rider. Then as soon as I started training he helped me look for horses and I introduced him to Mr Guest. It was a close-knit thing.
"The yearling sales were what you associated with Tim. He talked about the yearlings having gone through the catalogues.
"I remember picking out Barathea Guest. Tim checked him out and bought him for Mr Guest. He's had some good horses and managed a lot of horses. It's a big shock to a lot of people."
One of Corby's biggest successes as an owner came under the Box 41 banner when Halicarnassus won the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock last year, ridden by Tadhg O'Shea, who said: "He'll be sadly missed.
"It will be a big blow to the yard and everybody around it as he was a popular figure in racing.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife Sheila and his daughter Adriana, it's a terrible shock, especially to Mick himself who has been friends with him for a very long time," he told At The Races.
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