Instigator (GER) ridden by Braidon Small clears a hurdle on the way to winning the Ecycle Solutions MJ Bourke Hurdle at Sportsbet Pakenham on April 18, 2020 in Pakenham, Australia. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos)
Jumps jockeys Braidon Small and Conor Brassil are set for a stint on the sidelines following their falls at Warrnambool on Sunday.
Small, who has recently overcome a two-year battle with brain cancer, was aboard Aaron Purcell’s Enzed Magic in a 3200-metre maiden hurdle. The five-year-old gelding appeared poised for a strong finish but stumbled upon landing the final jump, unseating Small.
Medical scans revealed that Small sustained a collapsed lung and cracked ribs due to the fall.
The medical team was called into action again two races later when Irish jockey Conor Brassil, in just his fifth ride in Australia, fell from Ciaron Maher’s Custom Of The Sea during the 3450-metre steeplechase. Brassil suffered a minor fracture in his lower back and is expected to be out of action for about a month.
Both jockeys are receiving medical care and are anticipated to make full recoveries.