Three Jockeys Injured In Fall

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29361, 14 November 1960, Page 4

Three Jockeys Injured In Fall

Three jockeys were taken to hospital and a

horse had to be des-

troyed after a five-horse

fall in the Members’

Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday.

The fall occurred at the top of the straight, about three furlongs from home. Ricardo, Kinsimm, Supreme Effort, Royal Ix’igh and Fair Summer all came down.

Ricardo suffered a broken leg and was later destroyed. His rider, J. P. Riordan, suffered chest and leg injuries and shock. He was admitted to the Christ-

church Public Hospital, but was discharged yesterday morning and has returned to the North Island.

Two other jockeys, R. I. Thompson, who rode Royal Leigh, and M. J. Skelton (Fair Summer) were treated at the hospital for shock then sent home.

Kinsimm’s rider, E. G. Low, and Fair Summer’s rider, K. Reggett, escaped injury. Ricardo galloped back down the track after the fall and ran into the birdcage when the gate was opened to allow the horses which finished to leave the track. He was destroyed there. Sections of the crowd booed when Ricardo was put down. A

screen was erected in front of the horse while he was shot, but it only partially obscured him from the crowd’s view. Ricardo’s owner, Mr L. N. Hodgson, said later that it was at his direction that the horse was destroyed in the birdcage. Mr Hodgson said he had not wanted to cause the horse more suffering by having him moved. The stipendiary steward, Mr H. B. Lorigan, said yesterday afternoon that the incident was regrettable but unavoidable. "It is very unusual for a horse with a broken leg to run back into the birdcage,” he said. Ricardo was a seven-year-old gelding by Oman from Lady Thames, trained at Te Awamutu by W. Sanders.

Ricardo fractured his off foreleg. Mr Lorigan said Ricardo was the first of the five to fall, but it was not known whether he broke his leg before he came down.

An inquiry into the fall was opened after the race by the judicial committee of the Canterbury oJckey Club. Evidence was heard from E. G. Low, R. J. Skelton, W. D. Skelton, R. N. Marsh, N. Eastwood and the patrol steward, Mr D. Spicer. The inquiry was adjourned until the injured jockeys are available to give evidence. Riordan made a statement to Mr Lorigan yesterday morning before he left for the North Island.