3 minute read
Nicholas suffers broken leg and arm in Te Aroha fall; Lucrative targets beckon I'm Thunderstruck;
Nicholas suffers broken leg and arm in Te Aroha fall
In-form apprentice Elen Nicholas is facing an extended period on the sidelines after breaking her leg and arm in a nasty fall at Te Aroha on Sunday.
The Cambridge-based Welsh apprentice, 25, underwent surgery at Waikato Hospital on Sunday night after she was dislodged from her mount Hot Pinx, who clipped heels on the home bend of the final race of the Pakuranga Hunt Club meeting.
Nicholas' partner Shaun Phelan said she was knocked out in the fall but other than concussion and a nasty cut, she hadn't suffered more serious head injuries.
"She's got a broken arm and broken leg and had surgery last night," Phelan said.
"It's the same leg that she broke six months ago, the tibia. The phone has gone non-stop with calls from well-wishers."
Phelan said Nicholas had also suffered a compound fracture of her ulna and her radius had also been displaced through the impact of the fall.
"I got to her and saw the bone had come through the skin and I nearly fainted. It's such a shame for Elen because she was going so well and the apprentice premiership was something she was aiming at," Phelan said.
"She's pretty upset but at the same time she's pretty tough and that will serve her well."
Nicholas had won the previous race on Le Sablier, taking her to second place on the national jockeys' premiership with 11 wins, four behind leader Lisa Allpress.
She had also won on Hit The Road Jack on a premier day at Hastings on Saturday for Phelan and his father Craig, who train the five-year-old at Cambridge
Racing Integrity Board stipendiary stewards have opened and adjourned an inquiry into the fall.
Meanwhile, X-rays cleared Manawatu jockey Danielle Hirini of a broken leg after a fall at the Hastings jumpouts on Monday morning.
Hirini was taken to hospital after the fall which has left her with a hematoma on her thigh.
Lucrative targets beckon I'm Thunderstruck
Lucrative spring targets now beckon exciting Kiwi-bred I'm Thunderstruck after his placing in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The son of Shocking ran third behind fellow New Zealand-bred Sierra Sue in the Group One feature and is now set to have one final Melbourne hit-out before heading north to Sydney for the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m).
"He's pulled up good, he got pinballed a bit on the day but he ran super and he will train on for the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) which is three weeks and then three weeks into the Golden Eagle, so it's a good program for him," Price told Racing.com.
"The question is is he a Group One handicapping horse at this stage, and I think he is, and I think the mile will be good for him too.
"There's the Epsom in two weeks but you sort of have to train them on the phone don't you, so I think if you keep him at Caulfield, he goes good at Caulfield, and you have a bit of joy in running and hopefully he gets a run now and he can hopefully win a Toorak and onto a Golden Eagle."
I'm Thunderstruck was initially prepared in New Zealand by Matamata trainer Daniel Miller for whom he won his 1000m trial at Te Aroha in June last year before being sold privately to OTI through bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo
Meanwhile, stablemate and fellow Kiwi-bred Ayrton's spring preparation is over.
Ayrton was checked into the South Eastern Equine Hospital last week to treat swelling found on his near-hind leg and trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have decided to take the cautious approach with the gelding and send him for a spell.
Ayrton has won five of his seven starts including the Gr.3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m). He placed in his other two raceday appearances, including runner-up in the Gr.3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) and third in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) last start.
