3 minute read

Strathalbyn trainer Trevor Day had a horrific truck accident on the way to last weekend's St Patricks day meeting at Broken Hill with four of his horses losing their lives.

Day, who has floated horses to the meeting for the last decade, was 20km north of Burra at Mount Bryan when an inside rear tyre blew, followed by the outside tyre, causing Day to lose control and roll.

Day had eight of his stable aboard, who were all engaged for the Broken Hill meeting.

The truck came to rest upside down and Day and his son, as well as a passing farmer, tried frantically to free the horses.

Pulling the truck body away from the roof using a tractor, Day was able to free the horses but unfortunately four couldn't be saved, with broken legs, lacerations and internal bleeding among the injuries.

In-form galloper Tiparaja, who Day described as one of his best mates, was among them.

The survivors had bruising, lacerations, were covered in diesel fuel and were obviously suffering from shock but Day said all were doing well and should make a full recovery.

Day had only lacerations and his son a sore neck but was devastated by the loss of the four horses.