Jockeys taken to hospital after falls

The Grey Storm's win in the Young Read Woudberg Chartered Accountants 1600 at Gate Pa was overshadowed by a two-horse fall in the final stages which resulted in jockeys Mark Du Plessis and Gavin McKeon being taken to Tauranga Hospital.
McKeon's mount, Zillah's Lad, appeared to clip heels rounding the home turn yesterday, when looking set to finish the race off strongly. McKeon was flung into the air and crashed on to the turf with the resultant interference causing Du Plessis' mount Maximum Height to toss the top hoop. Du Plessis was thrown on to the lap of fellow jockey Paul Taylor aboard Omecia before also crashing heavily.
Both riders left the racetrack on stretchers with the concern over back injuries, though both were conscious.
It might have been a late call-up, but Wanganui owner Wallace Pettigrew was never going to miss the trip to Tauranga yesterday to watch his filly Star Of Reims compete.
Pettigrew is part of the Tito Racing Syndicate, which also includes former jockey Tim Werry, whose highlight in racing was as strapper for the great galloper Balmerino,
"He (Pettigrew) loves this filly and he has made a trip up to see her race and trial each time," said Star Of Reims' trainer, Frank Ritchie.
"I didn't think she was going to get in today and it was only when the acceptances came out that I realised the club had split the race and she got in. I rang Tim and told him to let the rest of the syndicate know and apologised for the late notice.
"It was great some of them got here today. I knew Wallace would make it and he's over the moon with the win."
Star Of Reims continued a good recent innings for Ritchie (which includes the NZ Cup with Showcause) when leading throughout in the Interislander Summer Festival 2 Jan Tga 3YO for rider James McDonald.
McDonald was instructed by Ritchie to bounce Star Of Reims out and try and get her into the clear.
"She's got a habit of getting her head up if she gets cramped and that's what happened first-up at Rotorua," said Ritchie. "She'll need blinkers and even though she won today I'll probably put them on soon."
Star Of Reims put a winning break on the opposition once balanced up for the run home and went to the line a length and a half in front of Essaouira, a first-starter from Lance Noble's stable who unleashed an late run. Highly Delighted, another making her debut, was a creditable third.
Star Of Reims, a daughter of NZ Derby winner St Reims, had three trials and the one race going into yesterday's 1300-metre event.
"She won at the Cambridge trials (October 22), backed up in another trial and only went fair in the other one," said Ritchie. "She's probably ready for a mile now."
Star Of Reims is a grand-daughter of Sounds Like Fun, the top-class mare raced by Mark Todd and winner of the Waikato Times Gold Cup under the guidance of Matamata trainer Jim Gibbs.
Matamata trainer Lance Noble didn't have a runner in the Big Chill Distribution 2100 at Gate Pa yesterday, but he was still focused on the result of the maiden event.
Victory in the race went to Single Minded, who races in the colours of Oaks Stud owner Dick Karreman and is trained at Matamata by Graham Richardson.
"Richie and I had a bet at the beginning of the season over who will train more winners," said Noble. "I was one in front before today, but now it's 13 all. I'll have to pull my finger out."
It has been a good season for both trainers and hardly a week goes by without at least a winner by one of the pair.
Single Minded's win is small in comparison to some of Richardson's other victories so far this term, including the Matamata Cup with Atom Cat, but the Bachelor Duke 3-year-old won in a manner of a horse with more in store.
Having his fifth start, Single Minded worked to the front and kicked strongly over the final stages to score by three and a quarter lengths from Meagree, who once again had to be content with a minor placing.