Journalism of Courage
What was supposed to be the last grand horse racing event of the season at the Pune Race Course turned into a nightmare on Sunday afternoon as horse Continental, one of the favourites to win the Nanoli Stud Derby, met with a tragic accident and broke his leg.
The severeness of his injury propelled the authorities to take the decision of euthanizing the horse instead of opting for surgery. Jockey Suraj Narredu sustained minor injuries and was taken off the pitch after the match.
The 2,000 metre race, meant for three-year-old Indian horses, began at 4 pm on Sunday. Horses Continental, Bullrun and Rigoletto were fancied to win the race that had stakes worth Rs 50 lakh. About 100 metres to the finishing line, Continental, who was running on the far left side of the track, was startled by the sudden charge of horse Bullrun who came on to him from the right.
Losing his balance, Continental tripped and fell in an awkward position, breaking his leg on the spot. The jockey, who couldn’t get up due to the impact, was rescued by medical staff at the race course and was declared fit later.
Talking about the incident, Khushroo N Dhunjibhoy, Chairman, RWITC said, “We immediately set up an inquiry into the matter and ascertained that it was an unfortunate accident. The horse was euthanized at the race course as the injury was serious and there was no hope of recovery. The jockey is not hurt and is recovering from minor injuries.”
The occurrence of an accident at an important derby like Nanoli has raised many questions, particularly about the conditions of the pitch and its maintenance. But Dhunjibhoy was quick to dismiss the allegations against the management.
“I personally checked the pitch before the derby and after the incident. It was absolutely fine. It was just an accident,” he added.
Continental, owned by Pallon S Mistry and D R Tacker, already had two wins to his name this season and had secured second position in the S A Poonawalla multi-million race, beaten by horse Jefferson.
Trained by Pesi Shroff, Continental, a member of the Frizette family, was known for his class and stamina.
“RWITC mourns the loss of a quality horse like Continental and we also offer our sincere sympathies to the owners for their loss,” said Dhunjibhoy.
