Jumps jockey injured
Grand National winning jumps jockey Shaun Phelan’s super season has come to a bonecrunching and premature end.
Phelan, who won the Grand National Steeplechase in August aboard Upper Cut, is understood to have suffered multiple fractured ribs and an AC joint (shoulder) injury in a heavy fall at Whanganui on Thursday.
Phelan and his mount Joking fell in race two, an open steeplechase.
The pair fell at the fourth to last fence. Joking was not injured in the fall.
There was a significant delay to race three as Phelan was treated on the track before being transferred to hospital via ambulance.
Phelan will have the summer to recover but going down with an injury on the second to last day of the year is about as frustrating as it gets.
The final day on the calender will be National Jumps Day at Te Aroha on October 1.
Two jumps after Phelan and Joking went down, tragedy struck for the connections of Nells Belle.
The Istidaad mare fell at the second to last jump and had to be euthanised because of her injuries.
Nells Belle won twice over the big fences from 26 starts and was winless over hurdles from just two attempts.
She was bred and owned by her Hamilton-based trainer Neil O’Dowd.
Nells Belle’s jockey Emily Farr was not injured in the fall.
The eventful race was won by the Great Northern Steeplechase winning combination of jockey Isaac Lupton and trainer Raymond Connors with Max.