Jockey Donavan Mansour will undergo surgery today after suffering a broken pelvis in an incident around near the starting barriers at Te Aroha on Wednesday.
“Donavan was on his horse behind the barriers ready to load into the starting gates. The horse reared up and went over backwards and came down on top of him,” Mansour’s riding agent Tony Raklander said.
“He was in a lot of pain and on the track for an hour or so before they could get a helicopter in to pick him up and get him to hospital.”
After several scans and tests, Mansour was diagnosed with a broken pelvis, but cleared of any spinal injury, and underwent initial surgery last night.
“He said he had little feeling through his legs and toes, but the doctors just reassured him that it had a lot to do with the painkillers that he had been given,” Raklander said.
“The doctors ran some tests last night on him, including a CT scan and some muscle tests, and everything is fine as far as his spinal cord and neck, there are no concerns there.
“He has broken his pelvis. He underwent surgery last night for something else that was very minor. He is in surgery on his pelvis today, which will take most of the day.”
Raklander said that both Mansour and his wife Roxy appreciate all the support they are receiving from both New Zealand and their native South Africa, and are keeping a positive mindset heading into his surgery today.
“The doctors are saying he is young, he is fit, and he is very strong, so they are relatively positive of a very good outcome for him.
“Donavan and Roxy are trying to stay as positive as they can and they do appreciate all the support they have been receiving.”
