An amateur jockey remained under sedation in intensive care in Bristol yesterday (Monday, April 11) after falling during the races at Wincanton on Sunday.
Major Charlie O’Shea, who served with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and won both the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown aboard Rolling Dylan earlier this year, had three rides at the Somerset venue. He is said to have suffered “serious chest injuries” in the fall, and racing was abandoned with reports of at least one air ambulance landing.
Having finished third in two earlier races, he was unseated at the second fence in the New John Dufosee Novices’ Hunters’ Chase, the penultimate race, where he was riding Paudie. O’Shea was treated on the track for some time before being transferred to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, and Wincanton officials abandoned racing before the concluding bumper.
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Clerk of the course Daniel Cooper later said O’Shea was conscious when leaving the track and the Injured Jockeys Fund provided a further update on his condition on Monday morning. A statement read: “Following a fall at Wincanton racecourse on Sunday April 10, amateur jockey Major Charlie O’Shea received immediate treatment for serious chest injuries from the onsite medical team before being evacuated by helicopter to Bristol Southmead Hospital.
“He is currently under sedation in intensive care and there will be another update when he has been assessed and treated further and more information is available. His wife Kate and family are grateful for the care he has received so far and would ask that any further enquires are directed via the Injured Jockeys Fund.”
A Racing TV presenter said on Twitter that O'Shea was taken to hospital in an air ambulance after the 3.50pm race. The final race there was abandoned.
Shortly after the incident, Cooper told Racing TV: “He has had a nasty fall in the back straight, but we’ve got all the medical team there helping him at the moment. The decision was made to focus on that and we’ve called off the last race to make it crystal clear and not delay people unnecessarily.”
