Bendigo Cup injury sidelines Stanley

Ballarat harness racing driver Michael Stanley will spend the next six weeks on the sidelines from back injuries in his dramatic exit from Saturday night’s (Jan 7) Bendigo Pacing Cup – but has fortunately escaped more significant injury.

Stanley, one of Victoria’s most successful horsemen with eight Group One wins, was hit from behind by another horse when he attempted to pull his runner and race favorite Rock N Roll Doo, out of the race in the back straight for the final time.

“He was kept in the Bendigo hospital overnight and discharged just before lunch time,” Stanley’s father Ian, said.

“They found that he had a couple of broken vertebrae in the bottom of his spine. Thankfully a spine specialist found no major damage, but it will be a healing process of probably six weeks or more,” he said.

“It will involve keeping the pain under control and a lot of rest to let it heal. It could have been worse, but fortunately there’s no injury to any organs.”

Rock N Roll Do had been overracing outside the leader and going down the back straight for the final time Stanley sensed something was amiss with the gelding and tried to move out and shift to the top of the track.

He avoided Torrid Saint (Jack Laugher) who was out three wide and about to wind up, but was then hit from behind by the eventual cup winner Major Meister (Cam Hart) who appeared to be starting a strong run out four wide.

Stanley said his son first noticed Rock N Roll Doo’s unusual breathing going into the final lap.

“He wasn’t sure, but was keeping an eye on things. When the horse started to give ground, Michael was under the impression that he may have been choking down,” Stanley said.

“The horse is fine now. Michael’s wife Genevieve and the stable staff will keep things rolling.”

Major Meister put up a phenomenal performance to recover and charge home to win the Garrards Horse and Hound Bendigo Pacing Cup, with victorious driver Cam Hart telling thetrots.com.au post-race that he felt his chances were over when the incident occurred.

“I’m not sure what happened to Mick’s horse, whether he choked down or something, but I could see a long way out that he was trying to bring it up the track,” Hart said.

“The trouble was I was trying to get down inside him and my horse got on a rein real bad. I couldn’t move him away and ended up straight up the back of him. Hopefully Mick’s alright.

“It was an amazing win. I thought my race was over once that happened.”

Major Meister (Art Major) beat stablemate Sicario with Max Delight finishing third. Major Meister, an ex-Kiwi, was prepared in Victoria by Adam Kelly before being shifted to the Grimson stable in NSW.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink