2 weeks Ago By Ernie Manning & Samantha Rogers
Promising apprentice jockey Cassey Martinan has dislocated her hip but avoided more serious injuries when her mount crashed and rolled in a fall at Pinjarra races on Sunday. Martinan, 25, appeared to have only a hip injury after being catapulted from four-year-old mare Of Course She Has at full pace in the accident. Racegoers gasped when Martinan was hurled to the track among rival gallopers, sprinting with maximum speed near the 400m in race three.
“It was a serious fall,” said Martinan’s employer, trainer Stephen Miller, a former premier WA jockey and Perth Cup winning rider. “Her injuries could have been much worse.” Paramedics rushed to Martinan’s aid and she was taken by ambulance from the track to Peel Hospital.
Of Course She Has stumbled before lurching into rolls. Onlookers feared the horse could have crushed Martinan by slumping across the stricken rider’s body. Martinan remained motionless on the track, while Of Course She Can got back to her feet.
Observers said the mare’s flailing legs had apparently only struck Martinan’s hip area. Vets reported Of Couse She Has, trained by Ryan Hill, was found to have a minor laceration to the stifle on her off hind leg. Senior steward Chris Brown, who was in charge of the Pinjarra meeting, said Martinan was conscious after the fall.
“She complained of hip soreness,” Brown said. “Doctors are treating the hip and will also do other tests. Stewards have adjourned an inquiry into the fall.
” Meanwhile, WA-born dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra will ride the Chris Waller-trained Democracy Manifest in Saturday’s $1.5 million Northerly Stakes at Ascot. Zahra will fly out after the Ascot meeting on his way to Sunday’s Hong Kong meeting.
The hoop will ride his Caulfield-Melbourne Cups winner Without A Fight in the Hong Kong Vase. He is also booked for Docklands (Hong Kong Mile) and Recommendation (Hong Kong Sprint). “Without A Fight is back to his best after a tendon,” said Zahra, whose other Melbourne Cup triumph was on Gold Trip.
Sydney trainer Chris Waller will chase his 11th Group 1 winner this season in the Railway, which is Australia’s last Group 1 race of the year. “We opted to go back with Democracy Manifest when he drew wide in the Railway, but he could not get a clear run until the race was virtually over,” Waller said.” Ascot sprint king Overpass has a WA pedigree link.
His dam Walkway was foaled by Boardwalk Angel, a half-sister to former Perth champion Northerly. Overpass remained unbeaten in four Ascot starts when winning Saturday’s Winterbottom Stakes..
