Betting ring in Ireland can damage your health!

Racegoer hit by loose horse at Punchestown

A RACEGOER at Punchestown was taken to hospital by ambulance with head injuries on Wednesday evening after a loose horse ran amok in the betting ring.

Kaitlin's Fancy unseated her jockey at the first fence in the Conyngham Cup Handicap Chase for amateur riders and went through the plastic running rails in the straight.


She then jumped a closed-and-manned five-bar ambulance gate which separates the enclosures from the racetrack and galloped into the betting ring.

As the racecourse commentator shouted warnings to spectators, the blinkered Kaitlin's Fancy collided with racegoer Stephen Casey from Wexford, who was knocked to theground, with his head appearing to strike a metal pole while falling.

Casey was conscious as he was carried into the ambulance.

The extent of his injuries were unknown on Wednesday night, but Turf Club medical officer Walter Halley said: "The gentleman was a member of the public probably in his early 30s. He briefly lost consciousness but regained it before being put into the ambulance. He's been transferred to Naas hospital and is likely to be kept in overnight.

"We were lucky and I have to commend the Order of Malta, who were there on the spot and did a superb job."

Punchestown racing manager Richie Galway said: "The horse half jumped and half broke the ambulance gate, which was manned, and we're just thankful for the quick reactions of staff who saw the horse coming up and got commentator Peter O'Hehir to warn the public and it probably saved more people.

"It was a freak accident, the mare was wearing blinkers and was probably running blind, she was actually caught beside the parade ring and seemed to be okay.

"We will of course review safety procedures and maybe see if we have to reinforce or strengthenthat gate, but seeing as the gate was closed and manned I don't think there were too many more precautions we could have taken."