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Ankle fractures rule Kellady out for a few months

Jockey Matthew Kellady, who was replaced on five mounts last Saturday because of an ankle injury, will have to miss a few months of riding.

A second X-ray has revealed two fractures on his right ankle suffered from a freak trackwork incident at Kranji last Friday.

An unraced horse he was riding suddenly reared and flipped over, just as he was heading to the training track with five other young gallopers.

His horse, who was just in work for about two weeks, landed on his right foot. This caused “two fractures – on the inside and outside of my ankle”.

Recounting the episode, Kellady said his mount was with two other young Shane Baertschiger-trained horses heading to the training track.

They were followed by three gallopers from trainer Stephen Crutchley’s yard.

He said all the six young horses suddenly stopped, apparently spooked by the black umbrella carried by a woman walking across.

“The young horses looked at the umbrella and just stopped,” said the naturalised Singaporean.

“All of them were waiting for just one woman to slowly go past the world. One suddenly freaked out and then mine flipped over with me.

“I tried to push out. But I landed on the ground and the horse fell on my ankle. I was screaming.”

Kellady, 42, was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he was told he had an ankle fracture after an X-ray. He was bandaged and sent home. He sought a second opinion at a private clinic on Tuesday.

“The doctor said ‘you have two fractures instead of one’. I have to see him again in two weeks to take another X-ray, before he could estimate how long the healing process is,” said the Ipoh-born rider.

“He said no need for surgery, no need to put pins or anything – just have to wait for it to heal.

“The rough estimate is two to three months. The ankle is like that. We ride with our ankles, so he said cannot push. This one really needs to let it heal first before I can get back on a horse, because if the bone is not healed properly, any movement or twist, it could crack again.”

The time out worries Kellady.

“Now that I am injured, it has affected my income for the family, because I am the sole breadwinner,” said the father of three children, aged 10, 13 and 15.

He has ridden seven winners and 19 placings from 82 rides this season.

HORSE RACING