Horror as horse is euthanized after sustaining serious injuries in a shocking head fall in the race, with jockey rushed to hospital
- Teo Nugent seriously injured in terror fall in Mooney Valley
- His mount Florescent Star had to be humanely euthanized.
A horse was euthanized after sustaining serious injuries in a horrifying fall at Mooney Valley Race Course.
Florescent Star fell after snapping the heels of the front runner at the Moonee Valley All-Star Mile meeting in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.
Shocking footage showed the disturbing moment the five-year-old mare fell headfirst onto the grass.
Jockey Teo Nugent was treated by medics on the course before being taken to hospital.
Nugent was thrown to the ground in front of a wall of horses in the sixth race of the meeting, the listed Abell Stakes over 1200 metres.
The 24-year-old was taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital but is conscious and can move all of his limbs.
Jockey Teo Nugent was seriously injured and his mount had to be humanely euthanized after a terrible fall at Mooney Valley Racecourse on Saturday afternoon.
The gallop trained by Amy and Ash Yargi was seen hitting the inside railing and then lying down on the inside track before a green screen was installed to hide the gruesome scene.
Following the passing of his beloved five-year-old mare, Argi Racing took to Twitter to write: ‘We are devastated. We love you Flo’.
Florescent Star was traveling hard into the final turn when he ran around the back of the exhausted leaders as they turned into the homestretch, nipping at the heels of In The Boat.
Harry Coffey, who was aboard In the Boat, said the incident “looked a bit icky” and he felt lucky it wasn’t him and his mount who went down.
“Thoughts to Teo and obviously the horse connections he was in,” Coffey said.
‘It looked kind of gross, and I was following Teo, and it’s amazing how racing works; if my filly had jumped cleaner, which we would have liked to do, we could have been in his place instead of a couple further back.
“That’s how racing is, it’s all a matter of luck.”
The five-year-old mare had to be humanely euthanized after sustaining major injuries when she fell headfirst onto the grass (Pictured: Fluorescent Star after winning the McIntyre Sprint in 2021)
Nugent had to be attended to by course medics at the Moonee Valley All-Star Mile meeting on Saturday afternoon after his horse Florescent Star fell after clipping the heels of the runner in front.
The fall comes as jockey Jamie Kah suffered a serious concussion last week and Craig Williams broke several bones when they both suffered falls at the same race at Flemington.
The week before, Ethan Brown was also hospitalized after his horse fell during the Australian Guineas.
Jockey Jamie Mott previously said that while you never think about it during the race, it does make you ponder the post-race dangers.
‘It can happen to anyone. No, it doesn’t scare you, but it makes you realize what can really happen (on the track),” Mott told The Age.
‘Obviously we are all really concerned. As soon as a fall happens, whoever it is, and it’s a relief to know that they’re going to be okay,” Mott said.
“(You) are as supportive as you can… We’re all a very good group of jockeys, we support each other, and we’re definitely there if anyone needs us.”
Nugent was taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital but is conscious and able to move all of his limbs (Pictured: Teo Nugent aboard Northern Sky Mount in Kyneton)
