Hesi Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Triple fracture of the femur, at the Rotorua trials. At 50, could he, or more importantly, would he even want to come back to race riding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted July 2, 2020 Author Share Posted July 2, 2020 Racing: Champion New Zealand jockey Michael Coleman's career in doubt after freak accident 3 Jul, 2020 5:00am 3 minutes to read Michael Coleman. Photo / Paul Taylor NZ Herald By: Michael Guerin Injured jockey Michael Coleman doesn't want to confirm what his heart already knows. But it will be a miracle if the popular 50-year-old rides in races again. Coleman is in Waikato Hospital's high dependency unit after a horse he was riding rolled backwards on to him at the Rotorua trials on Tuesday. That left him with three fractures in his pelvis and a broken femur, with the thigh bone also having some bone fragmentation. Coleman had an operation on the leg on Wednesday night but now has to wait for surgery on his pelvis. "It is not great obviously but I am not in too much pain," Coleman told the Heraldyesterday. "But I realise these injuries will not be easy to come back from, especially at my age. "I am not thinking about the future too much, I just want to get the operations out of the way, so I am not making any final decision on my career right now. But yes, it would be a long road back." Coleman is one of New Zealand's most successful jockeys, with 2130 domestic wins and the staggering record of having ridden at least one Group 1 winner a season for the last 20 years. Sadly that stellar career may now be over for the man universally known in racing as The King. The last winner he may ride, Vainglory, is favoured to make it back-to-back victories when thoroughbred racing returns to Te Rapa tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngakonui grass Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Newspapers survive on seducing their clients with HEADLINES. Facts don't really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted July 2, 2020 Author Share Posted July 2, 2020 55 minutes ago, Maximus said: so instead of reporting just the facts Guerin has to speculate on whether or not its career-ending, clearly implying that it is ('what he knows in his heart'). How did the accident happen? Horse's name? Horse OK or not? How many times has Coleman broke bones in his career? How many times, and when, has he made comebacks from serious injury? Just some the facts we could be made aware of... MM Valid points I thought Feel privileged though, that you don't have the fake news, propaganda that Kate Hawkesby drivels out, pollute your mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Injured jockey Michael Coleman could be out of hospital in a week after a successful surgery yesterday. Coleman had his pelvis, which was broken in three places when a horse rolled on him at the trials last Tuesday, reset days after a first surgery on a broken leg on Thursday. The injuries have put the star rider's career in doubt. Michael Guerin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Racing: Champion Kiwi jockey Michael Coleman retires after serious injuries 22 Jul, 2020 5:00am 4 minutes to read Michael Coleman, 51, says he's got nothing else to prove. Photo / Trish Dunell NZ Herald Michael Coleman has made the call to retire from race riding following the serious injuries he suffered at the Rotorua trials on June 30. Coleman, one of New Zealand's leading jockeys for many years, suffered a broken femur and serious pelvic injuries when the horse he was riding to the start for the 18th heat reared up and went over backwards when leaving the birdcage. Coleman was rushed to Rotorua Hospital then airlifted to Waikato Hospital, where he underwent major surgery on his leg the following day. A pelvic operation followed a few days later and he was discharged from hospital on Monday last week. "I had a few aches and pains leading up to this and this was just the shove I needed to say it was over," Coleman said. "I've had a good career and have got nothing else to prove. I'm 51 now and by the time I complete the rehabilitation properly I'll be 52. "I haven't talked to the surgeon about being able to ride again, but I know it would be too hard on the body." Coleman served his apprenticeship under the guidance of astute Matamata trainer Jim Gibbs and he was the country's champion apprentice jockey in his second and third seasons. In that second season (1986-87) he also rode his first Group 1 winner, kicking home stable representative Field Dancer in the 1987 Group 1 Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie. A week later the pair again combined successfully at Ellerslie in the Group1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m). Coleman went on to win 39 Group 1 races and experienced a wonderful Group 1 strike rate from the start of the new millennium, winning at least one Group 1 event each season until this current term. "That Group 1 streak started with Cannsea in the 2000 Railway Handicap [1200m] at Ellerslie," Coleman said. "I was lucky that I got to ride so many good horses and I got to ride for all the good trainers. "I'd rate the New Zealand Derby [Group 1, 2400m] on Xcellent as one of my biggest highlights and I also got to win a jockeys' competition in Australia and run third in two Melbourne Cups. I also rode winners in Malaysia. "I've got no regrets." Coleman became just the seventh jockey to have ridden 2000 winners in New Zealand when successful on August Edition at Matamata on June 1, 2017 and he took his record to 2131 wins when successful on Vainglory on June 20 at Pukekohe, the first northern race meeting since the return to racing after the lockdown. "I'm going out on a winning note and that's something," Coleman said. "I went through a slump for a couple of months this season when nothing was happening, but then I won the Matamata Breeders' Stakes [Group 2, 1200m] and a couple of races at the Auckland Cup carnival. I was going quite well before lockdown." Coleman has faced his health battles for the last 28 years, starting as a 23-year-old when his career was flying. He suffered extreme blood clots pre-Christmas 1992 and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease. It was a scary time and there were fears he might lose a leg. But his determination saw him return to the saddle after a lengthy layoff. In February last year, he was again struck down by blood clots in his legs, however yet again he overcame the setback and continued to make his mark as one of the country's most experienced and successful riders. Resting at his Matamata home, Coleman can't wait to get back to his favourite hobby — taking a few dollars off his mates on the golf course. "I've got my daughter, Greer, staying here so she keeps an eye on me," he said. "I don't know what the future holds, but it won't be riding." - NZ Racing Desk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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