12 January 2023 , 11:18
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Royal Ascot-winning jockey Martin Harley’s move to Australia has suffered a major blow after he sustained multiple fractures, including two in his neck, in a sickening race fall.
The 33-year-old, who won the King’s Stand Stakes on Goldream in 2015, began a new chapter in his career when he moved to Brisbane, Queensland in November as part of a three-year sponsorship.
He has ridden five winners but is now facing a lengthy period out of action after his mount Deferential clipped heels in the early part of a race at Doomben on Wednesday and he was thrown forward. He was examined on the track and taken to hospital.
Among those to attend to Harley was Brisbane Racing Club vice chairman Richard Morrison, also a family friend.
"Martin is an international Group 1 jockey and such a good bloke that we want people to know he's OK," Morrison told
Jockey Martin Harley has head and neck in a halo as he recovers from broken neck
"His injuries will take time to heal, but he should make a full recovery. They have done the full body scan now, and there are multiple fractures, including two neck fractures.
“There are fractures to the C0 and C1, just at the bottom of the skull, where it joins the neck. The biggest positive to come out of it is that he has escaped any spinal cord damage.
"He has a fractured shoulder and some busted ribs. Nothing is 100 per cent certain at this stage but it looks like he could avoid surgery."
Harley, who had spent the last three years in Newmarket riding primarily for John and Thady Gosden, has ridden over 800 winners of which his five at Group 1 level include victory in the 2012 Irish 1,000 Guineas on Samitar.