- Incident occurred in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia
- Emergency services rushed to track at 1.40pm on Sunday
- Remaining races of the meet were abandoned
Jockey Kelsey Hannan has been flown to hospital after suffering serious injuries when she fell from her horse during a race in South Australia on Sunday afternoon.
The 21-year-old lost consciousness after the incident at the Strathalbyn Racecourse south-east of Adelaide at about 1.40pm but was able to move her legs and hands.
She was placed in an induced coma after being airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Hannan, who hails from New Zealand, had finished her race on board Iva Dream when the mare appeared to clip another horse’s heels, sending her over its head about 50 metres past the finish line.
Kelsey Hannan (pictured) was ‘virtually placed in an induced coma’ after the fall
The 21-year-old was coming back from a broken jaw she suffered last October when the incident unfolded in South Australia
The remaining races of the meet just south-east of Adelaide – including the Strathalbyn Cup (pictured) were postponed after the shocking accident
She was placed in a neck brace and before being flown to hospital.
Racing South Australia decided to postpone the remaining races from the meet – including the Strathalbyn Cup – after consulting with other jockeys.
Hannan had just recovered from a broken jaw she suffered in a trackwork incident on October 8 last year.
The injury required surgery to have a plate and screws inserted into the bone.
Prior to that she had been in outstanding form, riding six metro winners in the space of two weeks.
‘It was very gutting but with horses these things happen and you can’t really tell when it’s going to happen,’ she said.
‘I’ve had surgery to put a plate and some screws in it, so now it’s just a waiting game.
‘The swelling is going down, I’ve got a big, ugly bruise on my chin but overall I think the healing is going OK.
‘I’m on a puree diet for six weeks.’
