Jack Dace was conscious, breathing and sent to hospital after a fall in the 3.56pm Flat race at Brighton Racecourse on Sunday, June 21. The incident also killed Virtue Chastity and brought proceedings to a stop while emergency services cleared the track.
Brighton Racecourse fall
The crash came after a clip of heels sent Jack Dace and Ashley Lewis to the ground. Ashley Lewis was riding Gretna Dreams and said: "The horse in front of me came down and by the time I realised it had come down and tried to move out, I was already on top of it."
Matt Chapman said: "We've had a really horrible incident with two horses coming down the hill in our last race". He added that "Jack Dace is conscious, he's breathing, which is obviously the best news. All his limbs are working, and he's been sent to the local hospital, just for a check-up as much as anything. So that sounds pretty hopeful, but of course, you can just never tell with these kind of injuries."
Virtue Chastity and Gretna Dreams
Jack Hastings said Virtue Chastity "sustained a fractured shoulder" and added: "We did sadly lose Virtue Chastity, who sustained a fractured shoulder. We had to wait a little while, as we didn't know if she was winded."
He also said: "From the footage, it appears to have happened because of clipped heels. Gretna Dreams is back in the stables. She was okay, but she will be assessed by the vets."
Lewis said he felt fine after the fall, but the race still ended with one jockey in hospital, one horse dead and another set for veterinary assessment. For Brighton, the immediate priority moved from the finish of the race to clearing the track and checking the two horses and riders involved.
