Day of falls at Hawera meeting

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 41

Day of falls at Hawera meeting

PA Hawera Horses and riders were in a lot of bother in the opening four races at the Egmont Racing Club’s meeting at Hawera yesterday. A very heavy track took * its toll as no fewer than I'4 horses failed to complete the distance in their respective races. Ironically, the worst incident didn’t occur in the hurdle or steeplechase • events but in the Pin Puller Maiden, where five horses came down in a spectacular fall. Reese Jones’s mount Pukepai came down first and was followed by Issaquah (Noel Harris), Family Venture (Mike Coleman), Video Princess (Paul Taylor) and Drumsoft (David Walsh). The horses fared better than the jockeys, as the five galloped past the post in a bunch at the tail of tlje field, leaving thjpe of

the jockeys less than fit. Coleman was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury, Jones suffered severe bruising and Harris concussion. Taylor and Walsh escaped unseated. In the opening race, the H. G. Cudby Hurdles, Flying Row, Kestrel King, Timandra Bay and Lemon Squeezer fell without harm to horses or riders; Kilmacrennan pulled up in the event for two-year-olds with a strained suspensory ligament; Bob Along Loruce tumbled in the steeplechase, while Mister Tomboy and Resort didn’t complete the same race.

A delegation of jockeys, headed by Walsh, in-, spected the track with stipendiary steward, Gavin Whiterod, and club president, Dan Myers after the fifth race: It was decided to continue with the meeting.