Jockey trapped under horse 'very lucky' after fellow rider saved him from injury

12 February 2024 , 12:33

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Richie McLernon is pinned underneath Conkwell Legend at Exeter

A jump jockey who was trapped under a racehorse has described how he was able to escape thanks to the role of another rider.

Richie McLernon was riding Conkwell Legend in a veterans handicap chase at Exeter on Sunday and was right in the mix as the horses approached the third last fence.

In what looked to be a winning move, Conkwell Legend jumped the fence in the lead but he crumpled on the landing side and rolled over onto McLernon.

McLernon, 37 was pinned underneath and at risk of serious injury if Conkwell Legend had got up too quickly.

But thanks to the quick actions of David Bass, who dismounted his own horse to go to McLernon's aid, he escaped relatively unscathed from an incident viewers described as “brutal” and “horrible”.

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McLernon said on Monday: “Thankfully I’m perfect and the horse was fine as well. It could have potentially been a lot worse.

“I think he was just a bit winded when he came down on me and luckily for me he is a good-natured horse and he didn’t panic or anything.

“They were able to get him off me quick enough. He was fine and I was fine. I was very lucky.”

Richie McLernon: described his "lucky" escape at Exeter (Twitter@attheraces)

McLernon continued: “David was the first one to get to me. I wasn’t able to reach the horse’s head to grab the reins in case he got up. So David was able to get to his head and prevent any further incident occurring.

“He was still on top of me and if he’d tried to get up I could have been in a bit of a bother. When they had control of his head the groundstaff and doctors and vets were able to roll him off me.

“I have a few bruises and scrapes but all is good. I rode out this morning and I’m back racing Wednesday.

“I was very lucky. If he had tried to get up it would have been a lot worse and he didn’t panic. Everybody played a good part and we got away with it.”

Jon Lees