Ballarat-based jockey Thomas Doyle has avoided serious injury when dislodged from the Chloe Baxter-trained Aplomado on Day 2 of the Darwin Cup Carnival at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
The four-year-old gelding, who also escaped injury, fell after seemingly clipping the heels of the Chris Nash-trained Egyptian Tycoon (Mark Pegus) at the 650m shortly after exiting the back straight in the fifth race for the 0-58 class over 1000m.
Doyle, who had accompanied Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer to the Top End for the Carnival, was treated on course by ambulance officers before being taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for further assessment.
“He’s fine, he’s as good as he can be,” Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said.
“The ambulance staff are happy with him, his vital signs are good.
“He was knocked out for probably two minutes, he came to when they got to him.
“He’s got a bit of neck soreness, but he’s got full movement.
“They’re pretty hopeful that it’s only a concussion.
“Hopefully, the neck soreness is just whip lash and that he has no breaks anywhere.
“They’re not quite sure until they take him to hospital, but thankfully he might have got away with it.”
Aplomado, who jumped well and settled in third place along the rails, appeared to veer outwards and lose ground leaving the back straight at the 700m.
Egyptian Tycoon, Chris Pollard’s Call It A Loan (Casey Hunter), Lisa Whittle’s Incivility (Ianish Luximon) and Phil Cole’s Hadrian’s Wall (Emma Lines) left Aplomado in their wake as they set sail after the leader Adelaide Fever (Jarrod Todd) from the Gary Clarke stable.
“Aplomado didn’t really want to be there, he had his head on the side,” O’Toole added.
“Just layed out around that turn and he’s clipped the heels of Mark Pegus’ mount Egyptian Tycoon.
“I don’t think anyone is at fault, it’s just one of those things.”
In the end, the Tom Logan’s $9.50 online bookmaker hope Polarising (Sonja Logan), who was at the tail of the field leaving the back straight, was able to avoid the hapless Doyle before unleashing a powerful 600m burst along the rails to seal victory in the shadows of the post from Adelaide River ($11) and Hadrian’s Wall ($12).
Egyptian Tycoon ($3.80 fav), a recent arrival from the Phillip Stokes stable in South Australia, finished fourth in his first Fannie Bay appearance.
“Unfortunately, Thomas has come to grief at the same spot as Jade Hampson prior to Carnival last year – she didn’t ride for some time after injuring her back,” O’Toole said.
“Wayne Davis, Sonja Logan and Alice Lindsay were all injured when they came down in that same section of the course during the 2021 Carnival.”
Earlier in the day, Doyle booted home his second winner since arriving in Darwin when the Chris Pollard-trained six-year-old grey gelding Kerioth ($26) powered home from the back of the pack to seal victory over 1200m (0-76) by 4.8 lengths.
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