DEATH OF TRAINER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20296, 4 May 1934, Page 4

DEATH OF TRAINER.

Accident at Riccarton Racecourse. The death took place last evening, at the Christchurch Hospital, of Mr John Armstrong, who was injured in an accident at -the Riccarton Racecourse early on Tuesday morning. The late Mr Armstrong, who was forty-eight years of age, resided at 58, Rose Street, Spreydon, and followed the occupation of a horse trainer. The accident occurred when Rational 11. and Cappy Ricks were training over some of the steeplechase fences. They began over the brush at the top of the straight, but at the first of the double Cappy' Ricks dipped and lost his rider (J. Wadley). Wadley was unconscious for a time, but escaped injury. The horse was then caught and mounted by Mr Armstrong, whose wife owned it. He set out by himself to jump the fences. The first two were cleared well, but the horse did not shape too well over the next two. At the sod wall he crashed heavily, and it was apparent that Mr Armstrong was seriously hurt. He was taken to the Hospital in an ambulance in a semi-conscious condition, where it was found that he was suffering from a fracture of the skull. For the past two day's Mr Armstrong had been in a semi-conscious condition, though he had not been on the seru ously ill list. His condition became worse yesterday morning, and he died early last evening.