An amateur jockey who was injured in a fall at Wincanton racecourse has fractured several vertebrae, his father has confirmed. Louis Burke came off his horse Danzini at the seventh jump of ten in the Molson Coors 'Hands And Heels' Handicap Hurdle on Thursday, prompting the air ambulance to be called to the track.
The incident caused a 49-minute delay to the following race. Burke was treated at the scene before being taken to Yeovil District Hospital by road ambulance. His father, Keiran Burke, later posted on social media: 'He’s bruised and has a few fractured vertebrae, so he’s still in hospital at the moment, but the doctors are confident he’ll be okay with rest and recovery.'
The South Western Ambulance Service confirmed they sent a double-crewed land ambulance and an air ambulance to the scene. A spokesperson for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance said they provided a doctor and specialist practitioner in critical care.
Keiran Burke is a notable figure in horse racing, having both ridden and trained a winner at the Cheltenham Festival. He returned to the saddle briefly in August for the Newmarket Town Plate.
