Float flips in horror car accident

It was a trip back from the races that Australian harness racing trainer-driver Sam Hewitt still cannot believe happened.

With two horses on his float after competing at Riverina Paceway in Wagga, a split second was all it took to push the car off the road and flip the float.

“A semi-trailer in front clipped a cow on the road and I didn’t know what I hit,” recalled Hewitt.

“The cow was black and I couldn’t see it in the dark and we went up and over it.

“It all happened so quickly, all I remember was my headlights go up into the sky and then we fished tailed for a while before the float finally rolled over.

“It was just me and the old fella that comes to the races with me in the car and thankfully we were OK.

“I was worried about the horses and when I got out of the car and went to the back of the float, I saw what I thought was water dripping out.

“It was dark so I couldn’t see and the float lights weren’t working so I used the light on my phone and saw that it was blood coming out of the float.

“I went into panic mode, opened the float and untied my first horse Roscommon Rose.

“She’s a 400 to 500 kilo horse and I grabbed her by the headstall and dragged her out onto the grass . . . I don’t know how I did it, it’s amazing what you can do with adrenaline.

“I did the same with the other horse and once they were standing and putting pressure on their legs I was relieved.”

Hewitt was still hours away from his home in Goulburn with the incident happening in Gundagai.

“I didn’t know what to do, I called Dad (David Hewitt) who was at home and then I called James Rattray who was at Wagga earlier and was further up the road,” said Hewitt.

“James was with our vet Fiona and they turned around and came back to get us.

“Fiona treated the horses as soon as she could and stitched up Roscommon Rose’s eye, she cut a main artery hence why there was so much blood.

“My filly, Flashlight Dancer, was up the front of the float and came out with only a few scratches, I actually jogged her today (Thursday) and she is as sound as ever.

“I’m so thankful that James came to get us and that Fiona was able to work on the horses straight away.

“We’re incredibly lucky and the horses came out OK too.

“Thankfully we’re racing at Goulburn on Monday so I don’t have to travel, I don’t think I want to travel for some time.”

That night at Wagga, Hewitt finished third with Flashlight Dancer in a Breeders Challenge Regional Heat and Roscommon Rose, trained by Hewitt’s father, finished sixth in her race.

By Amanda Rando for Harnesslink