Racing: Top jockeys hurt in falls on the flat

Mark du Plessis (left) and Sam Spratt. Photo / Getty Images

Jumps jockeys will all tell you they receive more injuries riding on the flat than over fences. They were right on Saturday.

It was Great Northern day at Ellerslie and no jockeys were hurt. On the flat at Wanganui, Sam Spratt and Mark Du Plessis got banged up enough in falls they couldn't ride at Paeroa yesterday.

Jonathan Riddell crashed heavily when Eminence broke a leg in the home straight, but was uninjured.

TIMELY VISITOR:

Gary Mudgway was a blast from the past at Ellerslie on Saturday. The former jumps jockey and trainer has in recent years been motor-homing around the South Island, spending much of his time fishing and the lack of stress is showing.

He pointed out it was 50 years since he guided Patrick Molloy around the Great Northern Steeplechase course to win the 1960 version of the great race. A year later, he won the Hurdles in dashing fashion on Lord Omen.

WAIT FOR THE JUDGE:

Jonathan Riddell gave an untimely victory punch in the air on Jimmy Choux as the pair crossed the line in the $45,000 Wanganui Guineas. Problem was Fiddler and Sam Spratt had held on to score by a nose.

BEST RIDE:

Michelle Wenn's aboard Wotabuzz in the last at Ellerslie. Saved ground along the inside then cut the home turn corner to burst clear in the centre of the track.

"You've got a good horse there for next year," Wenn told trainer Mark Oulaghan. Judging by Oulaghan's expression - which doesn't change much - it was pretty obvious he was aware of that.

OOPS:

Kane Smith was slow away on Saint Pat, immediately sprinted the horse up the rise from the 1200m starting point then dropped his whip the first time he used it in the home straight.

Worst ride of the day sounds awful, but it certainly wasn't ride of the day.

ATTENTION PLEASE:

Eventual winning rider Shelley Houston swears Mount Sinai had ADD when he first arrived at Ann Browne's stable. "He couldn't keep still."

Whatever he was earlier, Mount Sinai is now a serious racehorse. He was at times brilliant on Saturday and at times clever, but consistently brave.

And so, too, was Solid Steal. His hindquarters screwed around when he caught the last in the wrong part of his stride, but kept trucking without losing momentum. Neither horse deserved to lose the big race.

ARC chairman Russell Warwick had to make a belated presentation to Ann Browne for the Great Northern Hurdles. It was appropriate because his Westbury Stud bred Mount Sinai.

THE TOUGHEST WATCH:

You didn't want to be Daniel Stackhouse watching Solid Steal going around in Saturday's Great Northern. He was meant to be riding the horse, but was earthquake-bound in Christchurch.

"I watched it in the Workingmen's Club in Christchurch and it was damn hard."

When the airport opened for a 3pm flight, Stackhouse and his girlfriend still used their tickets to fly to Auckland to see his girlfriend's parents. "I'm not sure he deserved to lose that race," said the southern jockey. David Walsh missed his flight from Christchurch to Wanganui races and lost the winning ride on Bedlum.

12-MONTH WATCH:

What about Karlos as an improver. He was having just his second steeplechase when he finished second to Hypnotize on Saturday.

HUG A GINGA:

Plenty to admire about the grit Ginga Dude showed to get home narrowly in the open sprint on Saturday.

He's not really a wet tracker, but his class got him there in the mud.

That's the third Japan Racing Association trophy he's picked up.