A British jockey has been severely injured in a fall during a race in Australia.
Thirty-one-year-old Paul Goode suffered multiple spinal injuries after being thrown by his mount Shot Of The Rails during a race at Queanbeyan racecourse in New South Wales.
Last night local press reported that the jockey had movement in his arms but could not move his legs.
The horse is reported to have fallen in the back straight, five furlongs before the finish of the Cemex Building Handicap, and crashed through the running rail, throwing Goode.
Goode, who used to ride for trainers Patrick Haslam and Roger Charlton, was taken to hospital in Canberra but is being flown to a specialist spinal unit in Sydney.
Queanbeyan Jockey Club chief executive Paul Greentree told the Daily Telegraph in Sydney: “Paul Goode was on the track for quite some time — I’d say about 45 minutes — because the ambulance officers were reluctant to move him. They did a wonderful job with Paul. Eventually they made the decision to put him in the ambulance and drive to the hospital.”
The Cemex Building Handicap was the penultimate race of the day, and the last race on the card was abandoned.
Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy said: “We wouldn’t compromise the health and wellbeing of a jockey for the sake of a race.”
And jockey Tye Angland, who won the race on favourite Port Gallery, told the paper: “The incident happened behind me. Falls are a part of racing, we all accept that, but it’s sad when something like this happens. We don’t want to see it and hopefully Paul’s injuries are not too severe and he is back riding soon.”
Goode moved to Australia six years ago on working holiday and is based at Warwick Farm.
