Kelsey Hannan, the country’s leading apprentice jockey, has been sidelined following a fall at Riccarton last Friday.
Hannan, who sits atop the apprentice premiership and fifth on the New Zealand jockeys’ premiership with 50 wins to date this season, suffered a broken wrist after being dislodged from her mount shortly after the start of the last race at the Christchurch meeting.
The Waikato hoop is duly upset about the injury which could require surgery and a prolonged time away from the saddle.
“I am not quite sure how long I am out for,” Hannan said.
“I will go back to the hospital when I get home and they will do some more x-rays to see if I need surgery or not.”
Hannan admitted she was feeling a bit fatigued from her busy schedule, and while disappointed with the circumstances, she will now have an enforced break to recharge her batteries.
“I was getting a bit tired and I was planning on having a bit of a break while I was suspended, but not quite this sort of break,” she said.
Hannan’s absence opens the race for the apprentice premiership, with her closest rival Tayla Mitchell just 10 wins in arrears with five months to go in the season.
Meanwhile, fellow apprentice jockey Wiremu Pinn was a relieved man on Tuesday when he was given clearance to ride this weekend following an injury scare last week.
“One just went up in the gates and crushed my neck on the top of the gates. I got taken to Middlemore Hospital where they took x-rays. I feel fine,” Pinn said.
“I went to my doctor and they sent x-rays off to the radiologist and I have been given clearance to ride.”
