Nobody is safe from a mishap in racing!
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy was extremely fortunate to escape serious injury at Salisbury on Thursday in an incident when the first-timer Oasis Gift bolted across the parade ring and took a sidestep at speed which sent Murphy flying into the, thankfully, plastic rails that border the enclosure.
Murphy was attended to on track before being taken to hospital. Oasis Gift was caught shortly after the incident and escaped injury.
Murphy did suffer minor facial injuries which left him needing stitches on his lip and face, but he was conscious throughout the episode and passed a subsequent concussion test without any problem.
That positive outcome meant that Murphy could resume his riding duties at Ascot on Friday and, more importantly, that he would be available to take up his scheduled ride on the Japanese runner Chrono Genesis in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday.
