A tragic incident occurred at Ascot on Friday when a horse suffered a fatal injury, and a jockey was hospitalized following a distressing event during the Sodexo Live! Handicap race over 7f. The incident occurred as the race leaders were making their final challenges with one furlong to go.
During the race, Excellent Echo, ridden by champion jockey Oisin Murphy, fell, and Nordic Norm, ridden by Sam James, also went down. While Murphy quickly got back on his feet, Excellent Echo, who sustained a broken leg, bravely tried to continue running before being caught by his handler near the finish line.
In response to the accident, black screens were placed around the three-year-old horse trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis to provide privacy, and a horse ambulance was immediately on the scene with veterinarians attending to the injured animal.
On the track, James lay for several minutes until an ambulance arrived. Murphy, who was unharmed, remained by James’s side until he was taken away on a stretcher and transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
A spokesperson from Ascot confirmed the unfortunate outcome for Excellent Echo and provided updates on the condition of the jockeys involved. Nordic Norm was taken to the stables for assessment of cuts and scratches, while Sam James, conscious but injured, received medical attention on-site before being transferred to the hospital for additional checks.
Following the incident, stewards planned to investigate possible interference during the race involving the horses and jockeys but had to postpone the inquiry due to the medical attention being provided to the individuals. The investigations were adjourned to a later date for further review.
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