Racecourses are considering introducing changes to their mounting procedures following a horrific incident at Wolverhampton racecourse two weeks ago, when Chris Kinane was kicked in the head.
Kinane, assistant trainer to Ian Williams, was about to give his jockey a leg up when a nearby horse lashed out. Kinane was knocked unconscious, suffered a depressed skull facture and underwent surgery at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He remains in hospital and his condition is described as “stable”.
Wolverhampton will be staging its first race meeting since in the accident tomorrow (Saturday16 April) and no changes will be made to the procedures in the parade ring for this meeting. However, the racecourse’s owners Arena Leisure have been trialling leading the horses around the parade ring anti-clockwise at Lingfield in an effort to reduce the likelihood of a similar accident happening again.
The Irish Turf Club, which experienced a similar accident involving Con Collins at The Curragh last month, is set to try leading the horses anticlockwise and mounting the horses at the walk, rather than bringing them in to the centre of the ring, this weekend.
Haydock is also due to try the new measures, which allow the jockeys to be legged up on the move without having to walk behind the horse, or have the horse’s quarters turned towards any individuals.
A good week for . . .
Charities, which are set to receive funds of more than £2,500 when the jump season comes to a close through sponsorship of the Jump Jockeys Championship. The Racing Post and Racing UK jointly sponsor the championship, funding trophies for the leading jockeys and presenting cheques to their chosen charities. The sponsorship follows a similar successful scheme for flat jockeys, in which Frankie Dettori earned £1,920 for the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy, while Kieran Fallon raised £885 for the Injured Jockey’s Fund.
But a bad week for . . .
Criminals, after the Jockey Club and the Racecourse Association joined forces with Crimestoppers in an attempt to help reduce crime associated with the racing industry. Racegoers with information about any crime from pick pocketing to race fixing can call the Crimestoppers freephone telephone number (tel: 0800 555111) and give information in confidence. The new initative is part of the Jockey Club’s ongoing aim to improve the level of integrity in racing and for the Racecourse Association to promote racecourses as safe places to visit.
Grand National beats royal wedding
The Grand National attracted nearly two million more viewers than the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles last Saturday. The Grand National audience peaked at 9.5million, with an average audience of around 7.3million, while the royal wedding averaged around 6.2m, with a peak of 7.6million.
Tsunami internet auction site
Racing To Help, the racing charity set up following the Boxing Day tsunami disaster, has launched an internet auction website at www.biddingtohelp.co.uk. Among the lots of offer are racing prints, VIP days out at top national events such as the Epsom Derby and the Chelsea Flower Show, and shares in racehorses. The auction ends on 12 May, and proceeds will go to the help survivors of the disaster.
