It was a miraculous story of survival for former Coffs Harbour jockey Glen Colless yesterday, the ace hoop narrowly avoiding serious injury after a nasty race fall from Favours Traded at Doomben, but he won’t be telling the tale with Colless remembering nearly nothing of the incident.
Colless suffered a concussion and was subsequently sent to the Royal Brisbane hospital for examination when he hit the turf at Doomben on Wednesday, falling from the Alan Bailey-trained four-year-old Favours Traded right on the line in the $13,000 Blackwoods Class 4 Handicap (2060m).
It wasn’t just a devastating result for Colless, but for the connections of Al Maher gelding Favours Traded as the horse was rated the $4 second favourite following an unlucky second at Doomben on June 22 over 2240 metres.
In the Blackwoods Handicap, Favours Traded stumbled badly after seemingly clipping his heels, leaving Crosscannons ($5) to charge to a narrow win over Masquire ($14) while the Barry Baldwin-trained Carry Me Baby ($7) came in a close third.
Complaining of pain in his left hip and left concussed without any memory of the fall or the earlier events of yesterday morning, Club doctor Allan Phillips said Colless was lucky to escape more serious injuries.
It was the fast-thinking of fellow jockeys Jason Holder aboard Macsquire and Jason Taylor on Rambling On that saved Collesss, both hoops shifting during the ride to avoid hitting their riding associate.
Earlier in the day Colless enjoyed success partnering with the Robert Heathcote-trained Diamond Heist for their win in the Sky Racing Maiden Handicap (1040m), something the jockey also remembers nothing of due to his concussion.
It was just the second career start for the Pure Theatre three-year-old, Diamond Heist breaking their maiden status with a tidy one and three quarter length victory and adding to the successful winter carnival season for top Brisbane trainer Heathcote.
Heathcote also took out the QARSS Fillies and Mares Class 3 Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on Wednesday with odds-on $1.90 favourite Tomboy, putting him further in the lead to win successive Brisbane Trainer’s Premierships this season.
