09 October 2023 , 10:52
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Legendary jockey Ruby Walsh has hailed the reaction of a horse who spared his jockey a serious injury.
Apprentice Cian MacRedmond was in the stalls aboard sprinter Dream Today in a 5f handicap at the Curragh. But problems ensued when the eight-year-old gelding tried to anticipate the start and charged the gates.
MacRedmond was thrown forward out of the saddle and fell to the right of his horse, trapped between Dream Today and the side of the stalls. Yet instead of breaking from the gate with the rest of the field, risking causing serious injury to his rider, he stands still and MacRedmond is able to slide down to safety.
The incident was reviewed on RacingTV by presenter Gary O’Brien and Ruby Walsh who was taken aback by the behaviour of Dream Today.
"He is so lucky the horse stayed where he did,” said Walsh. “Oh, give the horse a pat. What a christian of a horse!. His leg is caught up on the sides of the stalls, That could have been so nasty.
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“We go on about jockeys looking after horses. That is a horse looking after a jockey.”
He added: “In fairness to the horse he doesn’t barge out over Cian MacRedmond. He stands there. A good pony wouldn’t stand as quiet as that.”
The Curragh stewards reviewed the incident but took no action after MacRedmond reported that his mount charged the gates and unseated him as the stalls opened.