IRISH jockey Vince Halliday is in intensive care with ‘life-altering’ injuries after suffering an awful fall in the US.
Belfast-born Halliday suffered two brain bleeds after his horse ‘somersaulted’ over him before he was trampled by another.
Halliday is unable to breathe on his own and relying on a ventilator.
A statement on his Facebook page said he was left with ‘significant and life-altering injuries’.
The incident happened at Delaware Park last Thursday and Halliday is now being treated at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware.
Halliday also suffered a broken back, neck, shoulder and elbow.
A post on Halliday’s Facebook page read: “Vince was injured in a serious accident during the last race at Delaware Park on July 15.
“His mount clipped heels and somersaulted over him, and then they both were trampled by a trailing horse.
“Vince is now in the ICU at Christiana Hospital with significant and life-altering injuries, including two brain bleeds, fractured scapula, multiple thoracic fractures (including a compression fracture of the T7), fractured C4, fractured elbow, and many more. He is currently intubated.”
Can’t breathe on his own
His wife Stephanie told the Irish Mirror: “Vince is currently in ICU and is on a ventilator as he is not breathing on his own.
“When this first happened he was unable to move his arms (due to the fractures) but we got some movement on Saturday.
“Fortunately, he will not require surgery for his injuries.
“So far he has been unable to pass the breathing tests required to get him off the ventilator.”
Halliday was on his mount Tua when another runner, Normalizeddeviance, drifted into his path, causing the spill.
Another horse, Commission Actress, then went over the top of the jockey. Tua suffered cuts to her shoulder but will recover, while Commission Actress escaped with just a minor scrape.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help Halliday with his recovery. You can donate here.
Halliday moved to America in 2008 and has won 45 of 1,111 races since 2009, with earnings of just under £900,000.
His best season was 2019, when he won 14 times and £222,000 in prize money.
You can donate to Vince’s Go Fund Me page here.
