Racing: Riders question safety of Gore track after another race fall

Senior Riccarton rider Terry Moseley feels track safety at Gore should be reviewed after he and Jason Laking were injured from a race fall there last Thursday.

The fall occurred in the same spot where Moseley was injured in a multi-horse fall in 2000.

He suffered bad bruising then but fellow rider Paula Dowling fractured her pelvis and sustained other injuries which sidelined her for nearly two months.

Moseley again escaped with bruising and a sore ankle.

But it brought a more painful result for Laking who not only broke two fingers but lost the rides on two of his star mounts, The Jewel and Justine Coup at Tauherenikau and Te Rapa respectively this weekend - races worth a total of $130,000.

The two riders fell in the fourth race when Moseley's mount, The Count, slipped when travelling outside the leader and involved the favourite Mr Threadneedle, which was trailing.

"A couple went over me while I was going down but luckily I got out of it okay," Moseley said.

Laking had more drama to go with his broken fingers.

"I was lucky not to be a lot worse. I hit three or four of the posts which the rails are on. The last one stopped me going any further."

While the meeting was later abandoned after drizzle on the surface made the track dangerous, Moseley makes the point that rain was not a factor in The Count's fall.

Neither had it been in the previous fall.

"The horse just slipped for no reason. I think there should be a close look at the camber and condition of the track in that area before someone is seriously hurt or worse."

The abandonment of the meeting meant the $30,000 Gore Guineas and Gore Cup could not be run but they have been rescheduled for the Otago meeting on Saturday.

Laking is aiming to be back to ride at Invercargill in mid- February.

He has been replaced by Darryl Bradley on The Jewel and by Vinny Colgan on Justine Coup.

Moseley, who rides extensively for the Dennis brothers who own and train The Count, might have been considered for the ride on their mare The Jewel at Wairarapa in other circumstances.

The Jewel's trainer, Hector Anderton, to whom Laking was apprenticed until graduating last year, said he believed smooth aluminium plates contributed to the problem.

"I don't know the circumstances of this incident but my experience is that they are often the cause of horses slipping more easily than they do with steel plates.

"I have nothing against them to use, I am all for them. But when the nails wear down after a while it leaves a smooth surface and one more prone to slipping than the steel plate which is narrower and gets a better grip."

Anderton is reasonably happy with the way The Jewel has travelled and is keeping an anxious eye on the weather which was wet overnight.

The $30,000 1400m Gore Guineas will replace a $10,000 1200m three year old race at Wingatui on Saturday after negotiations between Racing Otago and Racing Southland, 11 races being carded.

- NZPA