Fatal Accident on Takapuna Course

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 214, 29 November 1927, Page 8

Fatal Accident on Takapuna Course

JOCKEY REILLY MEETS HIS DEATH

Once again the Takapuna racecourse has extracted its toll of human life. This time it was another Jockey who died while following his calling. This was R. Reilly, the popular Ellerslie light-weight, and it was a sheer accident apparently in no way attributable to the course itself. In recent years there were the apprentice Mbylan, and Jockeys ilcFlinn and Preston, all of whom met their deaths on this same course. One of these Alt. Mc-Flinn had a premonition that disaster would eventuate in the contest in which he was'engaged to ride, and in that event he rode "his last race. Reilly, or “Bob’’ as he was more popularly* known among “those assoct iated with the racing game, was on the two-year-old filly White Wings in the Rakino Handicap yesterday. ‘With his demise there passed one who held the confidence and esteem of all who were fortunate enough to be acquainted with him. / WHAT HAPPENED It is not really known how the accident actually occurred. White Wings | was prominent in the early stages of the race and then dropped back. Three furlongs from home the filly made another effort, and a little further on she appeared to “cross to the rails. Twenty yards from the two furlong barrier she faltered badly, and Reillv fell very heavily. The filly did not fall. The amublance van and its staff was stationed within a short distance of the spot where the accident happened, and in quick time they were in attendance on the fallen horseman. There was little £hey could do. however, for Reilly was dead when thev reached him. SEVERE INJURIES Death must have been instantaneous, for Reilly's heck was broken and his face and head shockingly injured. As soon as the news was conveyed to the officials of the Takapuna Jockev Club all flags on th‘e course were halfmasted. The fence or, to be more correct in racing parlance, the rails, showed that the jockey had collided with it, for one complete length of railing had been loosened, and the substantial supporting post split in two. An inquiry was at once opened by the stewards, and after taking the evidence of some of the riders in the race the hearing was adjourned until 2.30 p.m. to-day. SCENE OF THE CRASH The scene of the accident was viewed vT 3 vr i ter » and all round the spot the turf appeared to be quite solid, without any markings to suggest-that a horse had slipped. .That explodes the theory that the ground was unsafe. At this point there is a straight run of about 50yds, and it was midway along tne rails lining this stretch that Reilly was picked up by the ambul-

ance men. The body was lying directly under the rail.

HORSE GOT IN TOO CLOSE | There does not seem to be the sligh • est shadow of a doubt but that White ; Wings got in too close to the fent * • but whether she was forced there x went over herself is not certain. It

was said that one jockey in his ei denpe at the inquiry stated that e noticed White Wings running .a peculiar fashion just prior to the a ; cident, in fact, was running all ot-»r the course without meeting any intcr- ; ference. Like all racing inquiries this \*Tas not open to the Press, so nothing definite has been gathered as to wist actually occurred immediately prior to the tall. However, it is expected ti.it this will be announced later on. for a coronial inquiry is certain to be held. TELL-TALE HOOF MARKS Although the body of the jockey i» s lying exactly under the rail it was probable that he was lying where he actually fell. The terrible injuriei were, in large part, sustained through coming into contact with the rail, which is about six inches by four inches, and quite substantial. Furthermore. there were hjrf marks right up to and almost under the rail to within a few feet of where the body was lying, sufficient evidence that White Wings—for these marks mjst ‘.have belonged, to her—had got in vary close and finally bumped the fence, dislodging Reilly. There were ! marks on the top of the raiL One thing is certain and that is ; there has been careless riding on the part of several of the yotisgff . riders which was very noticeable on a number of occasions, outside the tace i in which the fatality occurred. TOWN GUARD INCIDENT Quite a number of spectators who were not aware of the facts of the cident whereby Town Guard lost h:s rider blamed the course for the dent which fortunately had a xr J more pleasant ending. This occrrvea ( in the fourth rare, and at a spot a:*oct

50yds nearer the turn for home - where jockey Reilly met his aeatn. It was, therefore, satisfactory learn that S. Henderson, rider of jGuard, reported that his mount *J; ! on th e heels of a horse in rront ; stumbled (there were marks on ■ : course showing where the T - * ! had slipped for a little w3 T_I-.* n r l *.£ was thrown on to Town _ he ! finally landing on the ground 7^ ; was unable to stick on. So “* a V beß one accident accounted for. - 1 again. Grchus stumbled on ! turn in the second race, but t-.ere i no report of this announced. The Takapuna Jockey Club appear, « ( have done a considerable an -° work in order to improve :t» c but the committee has been UP to it through lack : gr<-und adj-w I allow for extensions Ne ' e_ _ ! several j keys :• - str ru,.' ' ' opinion that the course u-** * lone.