HELLYER BACK IN THE SADDLE

By Graham Potter | Friday, September 25, 2009

It was probably one of the more extraordinary falls a rider has had, largely because it occurred for no apparent reason. The fall in question was when apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer parted company with Strawberry Ripple in the first race at Eagle Farm last Saturday. Watchers, who viewed the fall from all angles on the patrol film, were left with little evidence as to what might have initiated the incident.

Hellyer was back at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, ready to ride, when the dust-storm arrived and put paid to the meeting. It was probably just as well for Hellyer as it allowed him that little bit more time to recover. HRO took the opportunity to ask Hellyer if he could clarify the reason why he tumbled from the Brian Smith trained runner.

Michael Hellyer (speaking on Wednesday): “I’m alright. I’m a bit stiff, but I’m alright. I’m not sure what happened. I thought my iron had snapped, but obviously that wasn’t it. I’ve gone over and over and over the film. To me, what it looks like is my saddle has shifted left ... it’s gone down to left side of my horse and my foot has come out of the iron and I’ve lost balance and I’ve come down.

“I knew I didn’t clip heels. I knew something went wrong. When I was on the ground I had people asking me what happened. They said, did you clip heels? I said, no I didn’t clip heels. I did try to run alongside the horse. I thought I’d run alongside it and jump back on it, but I didn’t make it back on. It didn’t work out unfortunately and it ended up with me hitting the ground and taking a nasty roll.

“I’ve just got a bit of bruising ... soft tissue damage. I’ve got a pretty big haematoma on my left shoulder. I was going to ride today. I had six rides today. I’ve got a bandage around my chest and up my shoulder which is keeping the haematoma tight and still. So, yeah, I’m good.”

Hellyer has two rides at Toowoomba today and has six rides at Doomben tomorrow.

Hellyer