ACCIDENTS AT RACES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20259, 20 May 1929, Page 10

ACCIDENTS AT RACES.

JOCKEY FATALLY INJURED.

WARNER DIES IN HOSPITAL.

TWO OTHER RIDERS HURT.

THREE HORSES DESTROYED. The death of E. Warner, the well-known hurdles and steeplechase jockey, of Hamilton, occurred at th.e Wanganui Hospital on Saturday evening as a result of injuries sustained when his mount, Gala Day, fell in the Rata Hurdles, the opening event of the second day of the Wanganui Jockey Club's Meeting. Warner sustained severe facial and internal injuries and he died in hospital about five hours later.

The racing on Saturday was marred by a chapter of accidents. Two other jockeys, J. Proctor and W. Bowden, sustained injuries, Proctor hurting his thigh. Proctor was thrown when Grand Lupin fell in tho Rata Hurdles, and Bowden sustained minor injuries when Glengariff fell in the May hurdles. Thero was a heavy casualty list among the horses, Puwhero, Day Guard and Millais received serious injuries aud had to bo destroyed. Puwhero fell in the Grandstand Steeples and broke a fetlock, Day Guard strained the ligaments of a foreleg badly in tho Empire Handicap, and Millais broke a leg in tho Winter Oats. Capable and Dashing Rider. In his long career as a hurdles and steeplechase rider, Warner sustained many injuries vesulting from falls. As a result of one accident he had a silver plate inserted in his skull, and the doctors gavo him to understand full well the serious effect that another skull injury would have. In spite of this, Warner continued to be known as one of the most capable and dashing hurdles and steeplechase jockeys in New Zealand.

Mr. Clivo Matthews, of Hamilton, owner of Gala Day, did not go to Wanganui, and bad no idea of the #iid consequences of the accident, or even that there had been an accident, until about nine o'clock at night. A friend then rang him up saying it had been announced over the wireless that Warner had died from injuries, sustained when Gala Day fell. Mr. Matthews immediately telephoned to tho Wanganui Hospital, and was informed that Warner had died at five o'clock. The sad task of breaking the news to Mrs. Warner, who resides at Frankton with the family of three children, fell to Mr. Matthews and his brother, Mr. Harry Matthews, the owner of Pouri, Warner rode Pouri to victory in the Wellington Steeplechase last year, and he was to have had the mount on the same horse in the Great Northern Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase noxt month. Winner of Important Races. Mrs. Warner was not at home, and it was at the house of a friend, where she was attending a party, that the sad tidings were conveyed to her. Up to that time she did not even know that her husband had been hurt, much less that he had died five hours before. Mrs. Warner was overcome with grief, which was rot lessened by the failure of the authorities at Wanganui to communicate with- her in .any way. This was Gala Day's thirteenth start"" in a hurdles race. In his twelve other races he had not- fallen once, nor had he ever fallen in the many schooling tasks which he was put through in order to make him a proficient jumper.

Warner's principal wins <ire the Grand National Steeplechase on Sturdee, the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase on Oakleigh. the Wellington Steeplechase on Pouri, and the Pakuranga Hunt Cup twice, on Glentui and Koura.