Hunter ‘comfortable’

Press, 23 April 1984, Page 18

Hunter ‘comfortable’

The Cambridge horseman, Charlie Hunter, was described as being in a “comfortable” condition by hospital staff at The Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch, last evening. Hunter, along with the Canterbury reinsmen, Colin de Filippi and Barry Clark, were taken to hospital with injuries after a nine-horse pile-up in the John Brandon New Zealand Derby Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday. Hunter, who drove Tucker’s Rule, is believed to be suffering from fractures to his breastbone, ribs and collarbone, and was the most seriously injured of the drivers in the incident.

Both de Filippi and Clark were released from hospital on Saturday evening. Barry Clark, who was thrown heavily from his drive, Logan Dryham, has a

fractured curricular bone and strained ligaments in a shoulder and will be unable to drive for three weeks.

Logan Dryham was exercised lightly yesterday and appears to have taken no harm from the incident, apart from losing some skin off a hip and around an eye. Colin de Filippi, who was driving Freightman in the Derby, was put on a respirator soon after the accident when breathing problems developed. His wife, Mrs Julie de Filippi, said last evening that he had no fractures but was feeling “pretty sore.” He has a badly bruised chest and back, required stitches to his face and was suffering from a sore neck. This season’s leading South Island reinsman is unlikely to resume driving again f<?r two fceeks.