Trainer Greg Connor speaks out about ‘lucky’ wife Kacie

GREG Connor, the trainer-husband of apprentice jockey Kacie, said his heart stopped when his wife of 18 months fell at Alice Springs on Saturday.

Alice Springs jockey Kacie Connor and husband Greg with ExtraCeed. Picture: PHIL WILLIAMS

GREG Connor, the trainer-husband of apprentice jockey Kacie, said his heart stopped when his wife of 18 months fell in race five at Alice Springs on Saturday.

Kacie suffered bruising and swelling to her knee and calf in the fall from the Steve Royes-trained Dimi the Dancer.

“She was lucky. A couple of horses went over her,” Greg told the NT News yesterday morning.

Craig Moon, who was riding Dreaming of Nepal, was suspended for five days on a dangerous riding charge over the incident.

Greg said Dimi the Dancer looked very sore after the race, suffering cuts and scratches while the horses of Paul Denton (Courting Magic) and Steve Ridler (Adynata) managed to avoid Kacie on the ground by jumping over her.

“She’s fine this morning except for the bruising. She’s going to the pool this afternoon to see if that will help,” Greg said.

Kacie, who refused to get on the stretcher provided by the ambulance was annoyed she was unable to ride in the last three races on the card.

“She was fuming. She thought they were her best three chances for the day,” he said. Kacie was due to ride the Connor-trained Knightline in the Guineas which eventually finished fourth behind favourite Danger Mouse with Steve Ridler in the saddle.

Meanwhile, the Felicia Bergstrand-Chris Pollard combination was in fine touch at Fannie Bay on Friday.

Bergstrand and race favourite Rulesofengagement scored a comfortable win in the opening race over 1300m. She took third place in both the second and third races with Coolbie and Top of the World. But the Pollard-Bergstrand team made amends in race four, the Nathan Berry Tribute, over 1200m.

They made it a winning double when Lunch Mates held off Night Option (Arnott) to win by a half neck with another Pollard runner Set for a Bundle (Rian Mageean) third.

Ironically, Bergstrand said after the race that Pollard, her partner and trainer, wanted her to ride Set for a Bundle in his Darwin debut.