3 minute read
Broken Hill’s Carnival Of Cups meeting last Friday night was meant to be a celebration for the local harness racing community.
Big prizemoney, a huge crowd and national coverage provided an exciting atmosphere for the participants. However a fall in the second event marred the evening.
Local reinswomen Ashleigh Camilleri and Kasey Hocking both fell from their respective sulkies and were treated by medical staff immediately. After concerns Ashleigh may have suffered another serious injury to her left ankle, she received some good news from the local doctors on Monday afternoon.
“I broke my left ankle in a fall previously and unfortunately my left ankle took another hit in the fall on Friday night so the doctors were worried I had done more damage,” Ashleigh said.
“When they x-rayed my ankle on Friday night there was a lot of swelling and they couldn’t see the full extent of what had happened but the good news is the doctors have been able to have a good look at it today and there is no break. There is some soft tissue damage but they are pretty sure it should be right in a couple of weeks time.”
Kasey Hocking admitted she was in a lot of pain on Saturday and is still suffering from a sore neck and shoulder as a result of the fall.
“I had a bit of a rough day on Saturday, I’ve got a sore shoulder, grazes on my backside and arm, a swollen knee and a sore foot but I’ll be ok in the long run,” Kasey said.
“The horse got out of it pretty well, Kirkelly has a small abrasion above the eye and cuts on the flank but it could have been much worse.”
The fall took place as the runners rounded the home turn. Hocking’s horse was following the leader with Camilleri three back on the inside.
“We were rounding the home turn and I saw the leader go roughly so I instinctively went to the inside and I thought initially I might have hit a peg but on watching the fall on replay, the horse has just become unbalanced and gone down,” Hocking added.
“I’ve had one previous fall and that was in Brisbane but that was quite harmless. I really wanted to drive in the last race because I thought Eye Carly could go close but Cassie Robinson took the drive for me and she was able to win which made me feel a little bit better.”
Friday night’s meeting was Broken Hill’s last for the season and Hocking will now concentrate on her move to Parkes.
“My partner and I bought a property in Parkes a couple of years ago and we have been waiting for the right time to move and with Brendan getting a transfer we will make the big move. The property has stables and a track but the horses have deserved a break and can now spell until later in the year.
“If I had suffered these injuries in the middle of the season I think I would have been right to start driving again in a fortnight.”
The meeting itself was successful with a big crowd trackside to watch the six-race card. The $14,000 Rocky Baker Memorial Cup was won by the Ryan Hryhorec trained Plati. Other wins on the night included Circle Line, Ultimate Dawn, Northtoalaska, Cashwrangs Smoker and Eye Carly.
