Composed Thomas avoids disaster

JAMES JUBB

LUCKY ESCAPE: Best Knight Eva was involved in a serious race fall at Ascot Park last week.

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A safety vest saved Graeme Thomas from serious injury in a race smash at Ascot Park last week.

The reinsman's horse, Best Knight Eva, veered inwards at the start and into the path of horses from the 20m handicap. Fullavino crashed into Best Knight Eva, causing the latter to fall and Thomas to be tipped from the sulky. Three other horses were caught up in the incident.

"I could feel horses stepping on me,'' Thomas said.

Thomas, on the ground getting struck by horses' hooves, bravely held the reins of Best Knight Eva. However, he had to let go when his hand got stood on by a horse.

Best Knight Eva broke free from the melee and many feared he might run clockwise into horses competing in the race. Thomas scrambled to his feet and went after Best Knight Eva. He jumped on the back of the gelding's sulky and got dragged for a short distance.

While being dragged, he reached down and retrieved the near side rein, which then made Best Knight Eva head towards the outside fence.

Thomas could see another disaster looming. He let the rein go but within a few seconds, both reins flicked up.

"I got a lucky grab at both of them,'' he said.

Thomas said if Best Knight Eva had not been stopped, he would have kept going clockwise on the track.

Trainer Michael Cleaver often worked the gelding that way.

Stipendiary stewards Chris Allison and Paul Knowles praised the efforts of Thomas.

"I've seen some good saves by drivers and that one is right up there. It was outstanding horsemanship by Graeme,'' Allison said.

Thomas suffered minor bruising.

As well as a hand, Thomas also had a shoulder and a leg trampled on in the smash.

Starting steward Fred Service yesterday echoed the comments of Allison and Knowles.

"It was a great piece of horsemanship,'' Service said.

"I thought Graeme was going to be badly injured. I've never seen anything like it and will never see it again.''

- © Fairfax NZ News

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