Injured Pires just happy to be alive
T AS MANIA’S reigning premier jockey David Pires could be sidelined for up to a year as a result of the injuries he suffered in a horrific fall at Elwick on Sunday.
Pires was one of five jockeys who came to grief and the other four — Jason Maskiell, Bulent Muhcu, Georgie Catania and Shuji Amano — were released from hospital the night of the incident.
Pires suffered a broken hip as well as general bruising and abrasions when he fell from Grave Digger in the opening race of the day. He had emergency surgery that kept him in theatre for four hours, plus three hours in recovery.
Despite the extent of the injuries and knowing the likely length of his recovery he was in reasonably good spirits yesterday.
“It all seemed to happen in slow motion and while I could see it all unfolding in front of me I was unable to avoid a fallen horse that skewed sideways into our path,” Pires said.
“I remember hitting the deck hard but I got up straight away and hopped over to the outside rail, but then I realised that there was something really wrong and I was back on the ground. I called out to the other jockeys to stay still because that’s what we are trained to do if we fall, but in my case I didn’t think I’d done any damage.
“The doctors have told me that it could be quite a while before I am back riding but I’m basically happy to be alive.”
Pires said he was in a lot of pain and that he had a button to push every 15 minutes to release a dose of high-grade painkiller into his system.
Doctors have told Pires he cannot put any pressure on his legs or hip region for six to eight weeks and it will be at least six months before he can consider getting back on a horse — and his most likely time frame for resuming riding is at least a year.
Pires, 36, has won the past three jockeys’ premierships and while this has been a lean season so far by his standards he has still ridden 22 winners and grossed almost $500,000 in stakes.
Maskiell hopes to ride at Sunday’s feature race meeting in Launceston where he has good rides in the $100,000 Tasmanian Oaks and the Group 3 $150,000 Vamos Stakes for fillies and mares.
“I’ve got my left knee bandaged but that is just a precautionary measure and I’ve got soreness in my neck, shoulder and left arm but I am still confident I’ll be able to get a clearance to ride on Sunday and on Launceston Cup Day three days later,” Maskiell said.
Maskiell will have a medical assessment tomorrow to determine when he can resume riding.
Muhcu said he would not be fit enough to ride for at least a fortnight.
“I won’t be riding on Sunday or Cup Day the following Wednesday and maybe not even the following meeting in Launceston [March 7],” Muhcu said.
“I got up this morning and I was in a lot of pain from all the bruising. I don’t know how but I only received a small scratch at the side of my forehead near my eye, which is amazing because I had three horses trample over me.”
Catania complained of severe headaches yesterday but because of swelling in her neck region scans would not be conclusive, so she must wait until it subsides.
“I have been told that if I notice any changes like dizziness and acute pain in my head I have to get to the hospital immediately,” Catania said.
Amano was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and severe bruising but was released late on Sunday night.
The Mercury was unable to contact him yesterday but it is believed he gathered his rods and reels and went fishing.