Teenage jockey Jack Dace was “very lucky” to survive a high-speed fall at Brighton in which the horse he was riding was fatally injured, according to his father. The 18-year-old, who works for trainer Ralph Beckett, was riding the Amanda Perrett-trained Virtue Chastity, a 14-1 chance, in a 1m2f handicap at the seaside course on Sunday.
Details of the Incident
After approximately three and a half furlongs, Dace’s mount appeared to clip the heels of another horse, slip and come down, bringing down Gretna Dreams, who was following behind. The fall occurred during a nine-runner race. Virtue Chastity was euthanised following the incident, but Gretna Dreams and its jockey Ashley Lewis both walked away unscathed.
Clerk of the course Jack Hastings said: “He’s been taken to hospital in the ambulance. He’s conscious but it was decided he needs further assessment so he’s on his way to hospital.”
Injuries and Recovery
Dace was taken to hospital in Brighton and was due to be discharged on Monday. His father, trainer Luke Dace, told Mirror Racing: “I’m on my way to pick him up. He has a few injuries but the most important thing is his head’s fine and he is able to walk out of the hospital.”
Luke Dace added: “He has got fluid on the lungs which we’ve got to monitor and he is very tired because he was quite crushed yesterday. He has a few fractures to his ribs. He is very lucky really because there are lots of people that don’t get up from those sorts of falls. He was in shock but that’s understandable when you hit the ground at that sort of speed on firm ground. He was concussed. He was out when the ambulance got to him. So he will face a mandatory stand down time.”
Reaction from Trainer
Gretna Dreams’ trainer Stuart Williams said: “Other than being a bit shook up Gretna Dreams seems none the worst after a very nasty fall.”
