HIGH-FLYING MASKIELL CRASHES TO EARTH

TASMANIAN jockey Jason Maskiell went from a career high on Saturday to a frightening accident on Monday.

Maskiell posted the biggest win of his career on Bon’s A Pearla in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday but found himself in hospital on Monday morning.

He was taken to hospital after receiving a head knock at the Cranbourne jumpouts.

Maskiell’s manager Robert Kingston said the jockey would spend a short period on the sidelines in accordance with Racing Victoria’s concussion rules.

But he said Maskiell would return in time to ride Bon’s A Pearla in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 13.

“A horse played up in the gates and he hit his head,” Kingston said.

“He was out for a little while and the concussion will rule him out for the mandatory 12-day period.

“He’s got a bit of a sore knee as well.

“He’s having a few scans, but they think he will be OK, and he’ll just be having a little time on the sidelines.”

Maskiell was photographed in a neck brace in hospital. However, Kingston said the neck brace was part of a cautious approach to Maskiell’s knock.

“He was taken to hospital by ambulance, but it was all as a precaution,” Kingston said.

“They’re running some tests on him, but he thinks he will be fine, and it will just be a bit of concussion.”