Moodley on the mend after trial incident

[Wandering Eyes]

Apprentice jockey Triston Moodley is on the mend in Hamilton Hospital following an incident at the Waipa trials on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old hoop was kicked in the head in the mounting yard at the Te Awamutu track and he was airlifted to Waikato Hospital where he underwent surgery last night.

Moodley is apprenticed to Byerley Park trainer Danny Walker, who has been by his bedside and reported that he has come through the surgery well.

“He got kicked in the head yesterday at the trials, he is in Hamilton Hospital, and he had surgery last night and had a plate put in,” Walker said. “It was quite a long operation, but he has come through it well.

“They did a scan today and they are reasonably happy. They said there is a little bit of blood there, but it should dissolve.

“They will do another scan tomorrow and continue to monitor him.

“He is very drowsy and tired after a big surgery. It will just be a long resting period for him at the moment to recuperate.”

Walker said the doctors haven’t given a prognosis on how long they expect Moodley will be out of the saddle, and Walker said he is thankful the outcome wasn’t worse.

“It is very thankful that he had his skull cap on,” Walker said. “It could have been anybody walking out in the parade ring that got kicked, but it just happened to be him, it is just one of those unfortunate things.

“They haven’t given a prognosis on how long he will be out, but he will be out for a couple of months at least.

“He is very unlucky, but lucky.”

Moodley was enjoying his best season to date with 52 victories, 12 more than last season, highlighted by his first stakes victory aboard the Erin Hocquard-trained Spencer in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa last October.

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