Liam Durkin
HORSE RACING
TRAFALGAR-BASED jockey Jason Maskiell was unable to take part in Monday’s Darwin Cup after falling in the moments after the race-one Harvey Norman TROBIS Handicap across 1200 metres.
Maskiell saw The Trooper to an eighth place finish in the 11.10am race, but was felled a short time after crossing the line when the horse broke down.
Sadly, The Trooper was put down, while Maskiell was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital as a precaution.
As a result, he did not ride the Neil Dyer trained Kaonic in the Northern Territory’s richest race, the $200,000 Great Northern Darwin Cup, later that day.
The incident was the second time in as many weeks jockeys had been taken from the Darwin track to hospital, raising concerns around track safety.
Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole defended the track, telling NT News the injuries were simply a case of bad luck.
“They’ve had nothing to with the state of the track – it’s just one of those things that happens in racing,” he said.
“No one is to blame – we’ve just had a couple of them at the wrong time.
“Jason was able to walk to the ambulance. He got a bang on the back of his neck … he will be fine.
“His horse went amiss (after finishing post) and pulled up, leading to Jason parting company with the horse.”
Kaonic came fourth in the Darwin Cup, which was won by Highly Decorated.
