Jockey Ashlee Mundy is carried to the Otago Rescue
Helicopter by emergency personnel after a race fall at
Kurow yesterday. Photo by Matt Smith.
Jockey Ashlee Mundy is in a critical condition in Dunedin
Hospital after a race fall at Kurow yesterday.
Mundy (26) was flown to Dunedin Hospital after falling off
Elleaye in race 7. Apprentice Toni Direen (Lemon Honey) was
also dislodged in the accident at the 600m mark.
Co-chief stipendiary steward Nigel McIntyre said the John
Sargent-trained Elleaye clipped a heel of a horse in
front as the field came around the final bend, sending
Mundy to the ground, causing injuries to her head.
''She's been airlifted to Dunedin Hospital in a critical
condition,'' McIntyre said.
''We have opened an investigation into it and the police are
here to interview the riders as as well, and that's just a
precaution if there are any flow-on effects from it.''
Constable Craig Bennett, of Kurow, said the interviews were
to determine the position of the riders during the accident,
because of the severity of the injury.
Mundy recently returned to New Zealand to ride during the
holiday period, having based herself on the Gold Coast in
Queensland for much of 2012. She had spent Christmas Day with
her parents in Westport before riding Fintorro to a win at
Timaru on Friday.
She has ridden 232 winners in New Zealand, with her first win
in August, 2004 on the Michael Pitman-trained Starkay. She
has won four listed races, including the 2009 Dunedin Gold
Cup on Never Plead Guilty.
Direen was stood down for the rest of the day, but suffered
only minor cuts and bruises in the fall. She will be able to
ride at Waikouaiti tomorrow.
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