Terry Biddlecombe is in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, after being taken ill at his home at West Lockinge Farm, near Wantage.

Biddlecombe’s wife, trainer Henrietta Knight, reported on her website that her 70-year-old husband and the three-times champion National Hunt jockey had suffered a stroke on Saturday.

She wrote: “Currently he is being fed by a drip and by a tube directly into his stomach.

“It looks very uncomfortable, but he seems fairly peaceful.”

Speaking to the Oxford Mail last night, Knight said: “He had a little bit of a stroke on Saturday morning, but he is talking a little bit today. He can walk, but it was a bit of a shock.

“Everyone is writing in saying he is such a fighter – he has been all his life – he will get through this and he will sort it out.”

Biddlecombe and Knight have formed a magical training partnership, highlighted by Best Mate’s three Cheltenham Gold Cup wins from 2002-4.

Meanwhile, Knight’s hopes of letting Calgary Bay take the first step this Saturday on the road to another crack at the John Smith’s Grand National could be scuppered by the dry spell.

The eight-year-old, who fell at the fourth fence in last season’s Aintree spectacular, is entered in the zeturf.com Handicap Chase over two and a half miles at Cheltenham.

But with the ground at Prestbury Park described as good to firm, Knight may not run her giant gelding. She said: “We want to run him if we can. He is fit and well. He doesn’t mind good ground, but he would not want it firm.”

Knight added if Calgary Bay didn’t run this weekend, he would probably wait unitl Cheltenham’s November meeting.