JOCKEY'S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20470, 23 November 1934, Page 7

JOCKEY'S DEATH.

Skull Fractured in Fall from Manetho. CONCLUSION OF INQUEST. The inquest into the death of Arthur H. Eastwood, the well-known lightweight jockey, who died after an accident when his mount Manetho fell in the Jockey Club Handicap at Riccarton on the Wednesday of Carnival Week, was concluded before the Coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley) this morning A verdict was returned that death was due to severe concussion, fracture of the skull and injuries to the lower part of the brain. The Coroner stated that the evidence showed that Manetho struck the heels of the hors# in front and fell, throwing Eastwood and rolling on his head and chest. He was satisfied that there was no interference or negligent riding. The medical evidence was that Eastwood’s skull was fractured by the impact with the ground, there being no sign of his horse having kicked him. Sergeant D. Hyland conducted the inquiry for the police. Dr M. G. Louisson said he saw Eastwood before he left the course. lie saw that the jockey was unconscious and advised that he should be sent to St George’s Hospital where witness saw him later. At the hospital about 5.30 he examined Eastwood with Dr Stan ley Foster. No Obvious Fracture. Eastwood had a large haemotorm over the right side of the face extending half-way up the head, about four inches in diameter, and his right ear was torn. There was no obvious fracture of the vault of the skull. The pupils of his eyes reacted to light and were equal. His breathing was ster terous and he was quite-* unconscious and his limbs were controlled with difficulty as he was throwing his arms and legs about. Witness saw Eastwood again about eight o’clock, still un conscious and his limbs were quite rigid and he had Cheyne Stokes breathing, a very bad sign. At 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. he saw the jockey again. His temperature then was over 107 and he died about 6.30 a.m. There was no .sign of his actually being kicked: it looked from the damage as if he had landed on the right side of his head and the injury- had occurred on the opposite side. The diagnosis of death was severe concussion and a fracture of the base of the skull with injury to the lower part of the brain. To the Coroner: Eastwood had a skull-cap on. It could be seen that the cap had been hit. “ Shot Over Horse’s Head.” 44 1 think that at the time of the accident the horse was going at 35 tp 40 miles an hour, and Eastwood was shot clean oA*er the horse, describing a curve and hitting his head.” added the doctor. 44 The cap stopped a fracture at the spot of impact, but there was an injury on the other side, of the head,and I do not think anything could have stopped that. There is no evidence that Eastwood was kicked.” George Hector Humphries, a tockey, of Sockhurn, said that he riding The Masquerader in the race concerned. After the start he did not see Eastwood as witness jumped out quicker at the barrier He did not see the accident. Before the race there was no blemishes on The Masquerader, but after the race the trainer told witness that all the skin was taken off the horse’s heels. During the race he did not feel his horse falter as if it had been trodden on. As far as witness knew there was no interference or bad riding during race. John Taylor Stewart, a war pensioner, of 10, Peer Street, Upper Riccarton, said that for nineteen years prior to the war he held a jockey’s license and he knew the Riccarton track very well. He was at the races on November 7, and was at the back straight during the fourth race, when Manetho fell. He was about a chain and a half away at the time. Manetho was about fifth when the accident happened, and was close behind the horses in front. Horse Pulled Hard. Eastwood’s mount was pulling hard, and the rider seemed to be trying to keep him off the leading horses’ heels.. Manetho seemed to strike the heels of The Masquerader and fell. Its hindquarters were off the ground and its legs were in the air at the time of the fall. The rider went over the off side, and the horse’s hindquarters fell on his head and chest, so that he was crushed between the horse and the ground. The next horse was Cricket Bat, which did not kick or strike Eastwood. Witness ran to Eastwood, who lay on the ground after the horse had got up and cleared off. Eastwood was unconscious: there was a slight twitching in his legs. Witness remained with him till the doctor and ambulance arrived. Witness was satisfied that there was no interference. The track was quite ‘straight at the scene of the accident, and in no way dangerous. The Coroner then gave his verdict that Eastwood died on November 8 at St George’s Hospital, his death being clue to severe concussion, fracture at the base of the skull, and injuries to the lower part of the brain. The injuries were sustained while Eastwood was riding in the fourth race of the third day of the Jockey Club’s spring meeting. The horse Manetho struck the heels of the horse immediately in front and fell, throwing Eastwood and falling on his head and chest. He was satisfied there was no interference or negligent riding in the race.