Nick Hall cleared of serious injuries

Jockey Nick Hall is hoping to be back riding on Blue Diamond Stakes Day after being cleared of any serious injuries following a trackwork accident at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.

Nick Hall has been cleared of any serious injuries following a trackwork accident at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Nick Hall has been cleared of any serious injuries following a trackwork accident at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Hall crashed through the plastic running rail when his horse failed to response while working on the grass track and it was feared that he had fractured his leg and would miss the entire Autumn Carnival.

But x-rays and scans cleared him of any breaks and Hall is aiming to return to the saddle on Friday week, the day before the running of the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28.

“I’ve got no broken bones. I had a small — very small — internal bleed, which they will keep an eye on over the next 24-48 hours,” Hall told Racing Network.

“I’ve got lacerations to my leg, which will require stitches (on Wednesday) and everything else is clear — spine, head, no loss of consciousness, no broken bones.

“I’m aiming to be back Friday week.”

Hall has been the regular rider for the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Petrology and should be fully fit when they line up in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7.

Hall took over the reins on Petrology before winning the Group 2 $300,000 Sportingbet Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Sandown at the end of the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Petrology resumed with Hall in the saddle for a second to Java in the Group 3 $150,000 Manfred Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on January 26 followed by a ninth to Dissident in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 14.

Hall is also regular visitor to the Group 1 winner’s circle, including two Group 1 wins at Caulfield with Fawkner in the 2013 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the 2014 $400,000 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes (2000m).

The young rider is currently in equal sixth position on the Melbourne jockey’s premiership table with twenty winners for the 2014 – 2015 season.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.