An Indestructible Jockey.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14984, 3 June 1914, Page 8

An Indestructible Jockey.

J. N. McGregor, the well-known -'toepicclia.so jockey, is the possessor of wha_t would seem to he a euarm<>d life. Those who might bo inclined to envy him his charmed life, however, would hardly covet his accident record. McGregor is at the present time, according to the Melbourne "Argus," '"laid up ■""•aiii lor repair.."' un he puts it, after bis lOSth fall froDi a lacehorse. While riding in tho Hurdle K;ko at Moonee Valley a week or so back his leg was tumped by a horse and he was thrown. When ho struck the turf his leg doubled under him and snapped, ono of the jagged ends piercing the flesh and tearing the sinews. At first it was thought that the injuries would necessitate amputation, but _ skilful surgical work has preserved McGregor to continue his eventful racing career. McGregor started a,s a jockey at the age of thirteon, and he is now thirty-nine. The 103 falls which he hat, experienced i during those twenty-six years havo broken so many bones and left so many scars about his face, head, arms, and body, that he can now bring to mind distinctly only a few of his smashes. His most exciting falls occurred in New Zealand, prior to his leaving for Melbourne in 1910. It was in

1900 that ho experienced his first fail in a hurdle rac.->. Ho was unseated and dragged some distance by the stirrup, breaking his collarbone. In another hurdle race at Feilding his horso cannoned against another in the air and both camo down. "Wo were leading tho field, and when I struck tho ground I felt my collarbone snap. Tho field came on, and I could see what appeared to bo countless shining horseshoes flying in every direction over mo. .-., . I remember wondering when tho last iron hoof would pa.-*.'' After the field had gone on ho tried to rise, but could not move. He remained in hospital, paralysed, for nine months and a half, unable to stir his limbs, and when he loft he weighed ■"■illy Ist 81b. A year after ihiit, when he had practically given up hop*., the paralysis passed off, and he was able to vontinue a? a jockey. Two years ago lie had his face '"practically cut in two" in a fall from his horso during a trin! gallop at Caulfiehl. and it took torty-nine stitches t<> piece it together again. Three months after tho accident ho rode tho same horso in tho liraiid National Steeplechase and won. Less than two years, ago McGregor received a kick on the iaw from a horse,

•••hich. almost tore off his lip, and knocked out several of his teeth. "Up till then I hadn't lost a tooth," ho told an interviewer. "I have not replaced them with others, as it would probably no* be worth while." This indomitable and apparently indestructible jockey is trying hard to get well enough tii ride again by July.