Jockey Dane O'Neill, who was unseated from his mount in a Wolverhampton handicap on Tuesday, will undergo surgery for a fractured vertebrae and ribs but is expected to make a full recovery, O'Neill's wife Laura revealed on Facebook.
O'Neill was aboard Eagle Eyed Tom (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) when that horse stumbled leaving the gate and appeared to clip heels before dislodging his rider, who was hospitalised following the voided race.
“Following his fall at Wolverhampton, Dane was treated on the track before being transported by the racecourse ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham,” Laura's Facebook post stated. “He had a prompt assessment including scans where a fractured thoracic vertebra and some fractured ribs were discovered.
“Dane is likely to have surgery in the next few days and the expectation is he will make a full recovery after a period of rehabilitation.
“Dane and his wife Laura would like to thank the medical staff for their care and are grateful for all the best wishes received from his friends and colleagues in racing.”
O'Neill is a member of the Shadwell team and rides for them on a regular basis.
“That's fantastic,” Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold said regarding the prognosis. “That's the only important bit–that he makes a full recovery.
“From our point of view, you hate to see that happen to anybody, but from a Shadwell perspective, he is a huge part of our operation. We are certainly going to notice his absence very strongly, but all that matters is that he gets better.
“We just wish him the speediest of recoveries and hope they operate soon and get him back on track. As long as he's all right, that's all we care about–and we can't wait to get him back as soon as he is mended.”
Of O'Neill, who has won two Group 1 races at Meydan earlier this year including with Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night, Gold added, “He is a massive part of the operation, not just on the racecourse, but he rides a lot of work, all around Lambourn for us in particular, and is hugely helpful to all of us.
“He has a good relationship with Sheikha Hissa, and obviously she is very concerned about him. Hopefully, it will all go smoothly for him and we all send him our best wishes.”
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