THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - A TIMELY REMINDER OF AN EVER-PRESENT DANGER

By Graham Potter | Sunday, September 1, 2013

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily

We all know race riding is a dangerous profession.

The ambulance follows the runners around as powerful thoroughbreds stretch out at speed in close quarters and jockeys have to make split second decisions that can have far more serious consequences than just winning or losing.

The heat of battle is no place for the faint hearted.

But when the runners pass the finishing post the intensity barometer eases down, the winners’ cheer, the losers turn away … and it is, by and large, all over until the field parades for the next race.

Or is it?

The simple fact about any form of riding is that the dangers inherent in that past-time never go away until the rider has dismounted and is well away from the horse.

Take the incident that occurred at Murwillumbah on Thursday as a case in point.

There is no more experienced jockey nor capable horseman than Glen Colless. He had a good day at Murwillumbah, eventually recording a treble, but his day wasn’t as plain sailing as those results might suggest.

On returning to scale after winning the fourth race aboard Henny’s Hero, Colless’ mount became uncomfortable approaching the winners’ enclosure. It spun around. Colless tried to correct Henny’s Hero. The horse pulled harder and Colless was not able to fully maintain control and he slipped off the side off his horse.

As Colless hit the ground his momentum propelled him forward into the path of the second placed finisher My Idea who, in turn, took fright when tightly cramped between Colless and a side fence.

My Idea’s sudden reaction sent apprentice Melissa Cox sprawling from the saddle in spectacular fashion.

The race had long since been won and lost, and suddenly here was the rider of the winner right under the hooves of the second placed finisher with another rider down … and, for a moment, Colless was in real danger of serious injury.

A horse will instinctively do everything it can to avoid a fallen rider though and My Idea did just that, with some difficulty, giving Colless just a gentle clip on the back of the head as she sidestepped and cleared the jockey.

Colless was quickly to his feet and was good to go for the next race, while Cox too suffered no ill effects in her tumble.

So it was a happy ending for all, but it was also a pertinent reminder of where danger lurks for those who chose to sit on a horse’s back and just how much that danger must be respected … at all times!