Source : ABC NEWS
A Racing Victoria investigation into the fall at the Caulfield Cup that resulted in the euthanasia of Ohope Wins has finished, clearing all jockeys involved of any wrongdoing.
Ohope Wins, ridden by Jye McNeil, and Half Yours, ridden by Mark Zahra, both went down in the final straight at the 150th running of the famous 2,400-metre race.
Zahra and Half Yours fell first after getting tangled in the pack chasing eventual winner Kingswood, with Ohope Wins going over the top of the fallen gelding.
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Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours suffered superficial cuts and scrapes, but Ohope Wins was assessed on track as having a “serious racing injury” and was put down by on-course veterinarians.
Both jockeys were thrown from their mounts and taken to hospital, delaying the conclusion of the inquiry into the incident, which once again prompted calls for the racing industry to be made more accountable for racehorse deaths.
After hearing evidence from McNeil, Zahra and three other jockeys in the race, Racing Victoria stewards said they “could not attribute the incident to the careless actions of any one particular rider”.
The hearing at Racing Victoria headquarters found contact between Kings Valley and Green Spaces with about 300m to go resulted in the latter becoming unbalanced.
Half Yours ran the rest of the course without a rider. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
Green Spaces, ridden by Rachel King, then turned inward and made more contact with apprentice rider Jabez Johnstone’s Kings Valley, who also turned inward, resulting in Half Yours being squeezed for room between Kings Valley and Zahrann.
“A short distance later, Half Yours subsequently fell,” the stewards’ report read.
“Ohope Wins that was trailing was subsequently brought down when unable to avoid the fallen Half Yours.”
The incident has been referred to Racing Victoria’s Veterinary Services Department, as is standard practice.
Trainer Tony McEvoy said Half Yours was recovering well from injuries and would be rested, while Zahra was meeting with doctors today about a timeline for his return to riding.
McNeil was cleared of any injury and is expected to ride at the Geelong Cup tomorrow.
