Fakenham abandon final race with fading light amid insufficient medical cover following fall

The last race at Fakenham’s Sunday meeting was abandoned due to insufficient medical cover following a fall involving rider Gearoid Harney in the preceding race.

Riding Micronormous for David Pipe in the Sky Bet Queen Boudicca Series Final Mares’ Handicap Chase at 3.20pm, Harney and his mount fell on the bend. While Micronormous appeared to emerge unscathed, Harney was taken to hospital.

The stewards looked into the incident and reported: “Gearoid Harney, the rider of Micronormous, had fallen on the bend entering the back straight on the second circuit. After viewing a recording of the incident, it was found that there was possible interference resulting in Micronormous falling. Harney was unable to be interviewed following the incident and therefore the enquiry was adjourned till a later date.”

The last race had been scheduled for 3.50pm, but could not go ahead as the light was fading fast by the time Harney had been treated at the track.

“In the penultimate race on the final circuit there was a nasty fall on flat and a result of that a jockey hit the ground hard,” said David Hunter, the long-standing clerk of the course at Fakenham.

“He had to be dealt with by two doctors and two paramedic ambulances and when they stabilised him so he could head to hospital we were really up against it with the light that was left.

“He needed doctors attending him and a paramedic ambulance, therefore we wouldn’t have had enough medical cover because it was being used to treat him after his fall.

“Gearoid Harney is the rider. He has suffered a head injury and was stabilised and sent off to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

“It was important that we didn’t set the ball rolling without enough time or light so it was the only professional decision we could make.”