Former multiple SA champion jockey Lyle Hewitson was thankfully able to get to his feet and gave a thumbs up from the ambulance after a nasty fall from the Francis Lui-trained Joyful Hunter in the ninth race at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Hewitson was rounding the turn in the Class 3 Lukfook Joaillerie Handicap over 1200m in a fairly tightly bunched field when falling as his mount stumbled after appearing to clip heels.
A brave Lyle Hewitson gives the thumbs up (Pic – Oriental Daily News/HKJC )
There was no immediate report on the condition of Joyful Hunter, or any other horses impacted by the incident.
The race was won by David Eustace’ Swift Ascend, who was ridden by recently crowned Longines World’s Greatest Jockey, James McDonald.
It has been just over three years since Hewitson was taken to hospital after a crashing fall in a four-horse pile-up in the HK$20m Gr1 Longines Sprint at Sha Tin. He suffered a fractured hip and was out for a month. Zac Purton, Karis Teetan, and Japanese star, Yuichi Fukunaga all came down in the accident.
Lyle has ridden 7 winners this season for stakes of just under HK$ 16 million.
