Jockey Laura Lafferty remains in ICU after Ballarat fall

Jockey Laura Lafferty remains in ICU following a serious fall at Ballarat on Thursday afternoon.

The 25-year-old was placed in an induced coma after sustaining a collapsed lung and injuries to her spleen and liver.

Doctors at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital began waking her up on Friday morning.

Lafferty’s manager, Simon Lambert, confirmed her injuries, while the Victorian Jockeys’ Association (VJA) reported that she will likely undergo further scans to rule out additional injuries.

The incident occurred while Lafferty was leading the field aboard The Praised One in the second race of the program.

The Praised One, trained by Patrick Starr, was uninjured in the fall.

Lafferty was airlifted from Ballarat to Melbourne for immediate treatment.