Angels

[my miss storm cat]

Kid Grindstone.....

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Two horses die in Randwick barrier trial


Friday, 17 August 2007:

Two horses collapsed and died in a drama-charged heat at Friday's Randwick barrier trials in which three riders fell including star apprentice Josh Parr who was taken to hospital with concussion.

The Graeme Rogerson-trained Mahnala's King, who finished fourth in the 1050m trial, and Savannah De Belle from the Gai Waterhouse stable who ran last of the seven runners, both collapsed around 250 metres after the winning post in the eighth heat of the day.

Racing NSW steward Alan Reardon was trackside to see the bizarre series of events in which riders Nash Rawiller, Renee Hinricks and Parr all crashed to the turf.

"It's so strange that two horses just went down like that," Reardon said.

"It is hard to say exactly what happened, I was at ground level and so all of the advice I've got is from the riders.

"Josh's horse (Mahnala's King) just stumbled and collapsed and the young girl Renee Hinricks who was following on her horse (Lady Kashflo) shied away from Josh's horse and it went one way and Renee went another.

"She's OK and rode in the later heats.

"Then Nash said his horse was not feeling the best in the trial itself and said he was just pulling up and for some reason it just went down and when he could feel it collapsing he just jumped off and he was uninjured.

"I don't think we've got video footage of it at this stage because it happened 200 or 300 metres after the post."

Parr was taken to hospital for observation and ambulance officers later reported to Reardon that the young rider had a slight concussion.

"He'll stay at the Prince Of Wales until they clear him, he's also got a bruised chest so whether they keep him overnight is another thing," Reardon said.

The apprentice was officially ruled out of Saturday's Rosehill meeting because of the injuries sustained in the fall.

Run in peace.