Ricky May suffers medical event in race

Well-known harness racing driver Ricky May has suffered a "medical event" and been transported by air to Dunedin Hospital, the chairman of the stewards in the New Zealand Racing Integrity Unit has confirmed.

May was driving the race favourite A G's White Socks in the Central Otago Cup at 4.11pm before about 5000 people.

Racing journalist Michael Guerin says May appears to have collapsed in the sulky while leading the main race at Omakau this afternoon.

Guerin says that a helicopter landed on the track to take May to hospital.

The chairman of the stewards in the Racing Integrity Unit, Vinny Munro, has confirmed May suffered a medical event. He said all races at Omakau have been abandoned.

Munro said he is not able to confirm any further information at this stage.

Racegoers at the meet say that there was an announcement that May was in a critical but stable condition.

Witnesses say he appeared to fall back in the sulky while the horse continued to race, then fall onto the track.

A witness at the track said race officials rushed to his aid.

Afterwards, many people who went to cash in their tickets stayed to donate the money to St John's Ambulance or May's family.

May has driven almost 3000 race winners in New Zealand – making him the third most successful driver in New Zealand trotting history.

He is a seven-time winner of the NZ Trotting Cup, New Zealand's biggest annual harness race.

Radio New Zealand