DAWN of May 23 saw Taree jockey Kayley Kirkwood and Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne wake to prepare for rides in race meetings.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
By sunset both jockeys had crashed to the turf in shocking race falls and were in hospital - Payne in Mildura Base Hospital after her fall from Dutch Courage at Mildura and Kirkwood in Port Macquarie Base Hospital after her fall from Lady Lobban in a five horse fall in Taree.
Both jockeys are recovering from injuries, Payne requiring abdominal surgery and Kirkwood needing three stitches for a deep cut to her leg and concussion management after being knocked unconscious.
Kirkwood looks to Payne's career with aspiring eyes and says "I wanted to be the first female rider to win the Melbourne Cup but I'm going to have to be the second". Payne's latest fall may increase Kirkwood's chance of making her dream come true with reports her family is keen for her to quit racing.
For Kirkwood there is no talk of quitting. “This is my first fall and that's a pretty good run for three years of racing."
Three stitches and concussion is a remarkable outcome from an accident that saw five jockeys down - two airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle and Kirkwood being one of two taken by ambulance from Taree to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
Kirkwood doesn't remember much of it.
"I think I got knocked out when I hit the ground. I remember seeing the grey horse come down in front of me and then I opened my eyes and everyone was standing over me telling me to not get up.
"It was probably good that I got knocked out, otherwise I probably would have broken something because I would have went stiff.
"It wasn't as frightening as I thought it would be. I was very calm. I didn't get a chance to feel fear. No-one got a chance to react or think, it just happened that quick.
"I could wiggle my toes and I could move, everything could move."
The deep cut on Kirkwood's leg worried ambulance officers.
"They thought it might have been a fracture that had cut open. Everything was a blur and I don't remember a lot of what they were saying to me, but I would have thought they would have taken me to the closest hospital."
RELATED STORY:
ainslee.dennis@fairfaxmedia.com.au
