Talented hoop Chad Schofield is expected to be in hospital “for some time” following a nasty fall which resulted in suspected fractures to both arms at Geelong on Sunday.
The 20-year-old was dislodged in the Briseis Cup (1325m) after his mount, Classic Charm, clipped heels at the 900-metres.
Schofield was initially unconscious but regained consciousness while he was being attended to by paramedics. He was taken to Geelong Hospital for further assessment and treatment.
Victorian Jockeys’ Association chairman Des O’Keeffe said the jockey had two suspected broken arms but that no other injuries were apparent.
“He is fully conscious and everything else seems to be fine,” O’Keeffe told racing.com.
“But obviously he has significant injuries and he will be in hospital for some time until they work everything out."
O’Keeffe said Schofield’s father, champion Sydney jockey Glyn and his mother Tiffany, were making their way to Victoria to be by their son’s bedside.
It has been an unlucky year for the young jockey, who was sidelined for two months in June after a fall at Cranbourne resulted in a fracture to his L2 vertebrae.
He was fortunate to escape injury after being dislodged from his mount in theRacing.com Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2040m) on Sportingbet Cox Plate Day.
He then incurred a 27-meeting suspension on an improper riding charge in September and again copped the wrath of Racing Victoria stewards as recently as Friday, when they ousted him for 12 meetings after he pleaded guilty to a careless riding charge at Moonee Valley.
“He had the fall in June and then on Cox Plate Day and now; it’s been an extraordinary run of awful luck by anyone’s standards. To have three falls of such significance in six month is just horrible,” O’Keeffe said.
Fellow hoop Vlad Duric was originally booked to ride Classic Charm but was forced to relinquish his four rides for the day due to illness.