Friday, 19 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Sport

Racing: Jockey Taiki Yanagida in critical condition in Waikato Hospital after fall during race

4 Aug, 2022 06:03 AM3 minutes to read
Taiki Yanagida fell during a race on Wednesday and remains in a critical condition. Photo / Photosport

Taiki Yanagida fell during a race on Wednesday and remains in a critical condition. Photo / Photosport

Michael Guerin
By
Michael Guerin

Herald racing editor.

VIEW PROFILE

Critically injured jockey Taiki Yanagida's mother is rushing from Japan to be near her son's side as he fights for his life in Waikato Hospital.

The 28-year-old jockey was badly hurt in a racing accident at Cambridge on Wednesday when his mount, Te Atatu Pash, fell. Yanagida was placed in an induced coma at the track and transported by ambulance to Waikato Hospital.

He was diagnosed with brain and spinal injuries, and while he was initially going to be flown to Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland, doctors decided against that.

Yanagida remained in an induced coma on Thursday afternoon with scans being conducted on his brain, while he could also have an operation to stabilise his spinal cord.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Yanagida was born and raised in Japan, only learning to ride at 18 and moving to New Zealand to start an apprenticeship with trainers Andrew Scott and Lance O'Sullivan, the latter one of New Zealand's greatest ever jockeys.

Yanagida's mother Kayano is being flown from her home in Kyoto to Auckland and is expected to arrive on Friday morning, with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing assisting her to make the trip.

Yanagida's close friend and fellow Japanese jockey Yuto Kumagai, who, like Yanagida, lives in Matamata, has been the contact for Yanagida's mother, who does not speak English.

"We are very upset for her and for Taiki and all we can do is pray," says Kumagai.

"He is my close friend and has taught me so much and looked after me here.

"He is very tough but it was not a good fall so it a very hard time for all of us. I hope people pray for him because he needs our help."

Yanagida had a personal best season last term, riding 42 winners to finish equal 15th on the national premiership.

"That is simply down to hard work," says O'Sullivan.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"Taiki came to use without much riding experience but worked very, very hard at his job and kept getting better.

"Part of that is because of his extreme dedication to his fitness. Being quite tall for a jockey he never shirks doing the hard work running he needs to and is a bit of a fitness fanatic.

"He is a good young man, a really hard worker around the stables when he was our apprentice and even though things were quite grim up at the hospital today we are hoping for the best."

Yanagida, known to almost everybody in the industry as Tiger, has ridden 162 winners in New Zealand including five at the elite black type level.

He rode Rusavy to win race five at Wednesday's meeting, just two hours before the accident.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Video

Hawke Bay footballer topped ESPN's plays of the day

Premium
Sport|Rugby

'Joy, despair and disbelief': How Rotorua rugby schoolboys stunned Hamilton

18 Aug 10:17 PM
Sport

Hawke's Bay footballer's wonder goal the top play on ESPN

18 Aug 10:11 PM
Sport

'It's sexual assault': Former NRL star banned after vulgar on-field act

18 Aug 09:17 PM
Sport|Rugby

Isa Nacewa: The 'masterstroke' that saved Ian Foster

18 Aug 07:20 PM

Most Popular

Mid-air horror: Panic on Air NZ flight from LA as masks drop, emergency declared
New Zealand

Mid-air horror: Panic on Air NZ flight from LA as masks drop, emergency declared

18 Aug 10:55 PM
Live: 400+ Nelson homes evacuated; Far North town isolated after slips
New Zealand

Live: 400+ Nelson homes evacuated; Far North town isolated after slips

18 Aug 10:41 PM
Murder charge after death at property in South Auckland
New Zealand|Crime

Murder charge after death at property in South Auckland

18 Aug 09:43 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP