WARRNAMBOOL jumps jockey Kawakami Kosuke will miss the rest of jumps season
after a shocking fall at Murray Bridge on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old originally from Japan said he came to grief after parting ways with Cash Advance in the Cryovoc Steeplechase (3280m).
"It was a very, very, very bad crash on landing and I was worried about the horses behind me. I fractured my right knee cap and probably my left foot as well," the likable Kosuke said from home in Warrnambool yesterday.
"I'll go and see a doctor in Warrnambool next week when the swelling goes down. I just had the one ride at Murray Bridge yesterday. He took off too early and crashed into the jump."
Kosuke said he was severely disappointed that he would miss out on riding at Warrnambool's Super Sunday meeting this weekend which will be highlighted by three jumps races.
The seven-race program includes the a $15,000 maiden hurdle, heavyweight 1700m maiden for jumps jockeys and two showcase events - the $100,000 Kevin Lafferty Hurdle (4150m) and the $100,00 Crisp Steeplechase (3800m).
Kosuke said he had a couple of rides teed-up for Sunday but those plans were now crippled.
"It looks like being a great meeting, I had a couple of rides and now I'm going to miss out," he said.
"I'll be out for the rest of the season. It's my first major injury this year and it was my first jumping fall this year."
The jumps jockey said although he hadn't ridden a winner this year he had been pleased with the way the season had progressed, both individually and as a member of the jumps racing community.
"I had been going pretty good. I've been based in Warrnambool now for four years after moving from Japan to Queensland and then spending four years at Lindsay Park where I got my license to go over jumps," he said.
"I'll try and get to the races on Sunday but I'll need to organise a wheelchair . . . I live by myself and it's quite hard."
Kosuke said he had ridden a dozen placings this jumps season, but the highlight had been four or five wins in the heavyweight races.
"I got to ride in the Grand Annual Steeplechase on Shayne Fisher's Stamus Pro Honneur which finished fifth. I've also ridden Ballysteen for Peter Lafferty and I was very disappointed he didn't get a run this weekend."
Lafferty is seething after Ballysteen was ruled ineligible to take part in Sunday's steeplechase on the same day a race named in honour of his father Kevin is to be decided.
Ballysteen, which ran second in the 2005 Brierly Steeplechase, was refused a run because the nine-year-old gelding's rating was too low. The gelding has a rating of 113 and the limit is 115.
Lafferty called for rule changes to the rules. Ballysteen has been out of racing for five years after suffering three tendon injuries.
Kosuke said he rode Ballysteen to finish second behind Russian Rule at Warrnambool on June 27 and the duo have combined for four placings in their five runs over jumps this season.
"I'm spewing that I wont be riding on Sunday. I'ld love to be there. I suppose the other thing I have to worry about is seeing a doctor next week and getting myself right for next year," he said.