CITY racecourse bosses say their thoughts are with a young jockey who suffered a serious head injury in a horror fall.
Lauren Keen-Hawkins fell off her horse at Worcester Racecourse on Sunday, suffering a serious head injury as her team thank people for their 'kind' messages of support and prayers.
Several ambulances, including an air ambulance, arrived at the racecourse before Lauren was taken by road to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
A spokesperson for Worcester Racecourse said: "The thoughts of everyone at the Racecourse are with Lauren and her family at the moment."
A spokesperson for the Injured Jockeys Fund said: “Amateur jockey Lauren Keen-Hawkins had a fall in the last race at Worcester Racecourse yesterday and was taken by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. Lauren has suffered a serious head injury and is now in critical care. Her parents and partner are with her and they kindly ask for privacy at this difficult time.”
The rider, who is based with Kim Bailey, came down aboard Faerie Cutlass at the third-last in the 2m4f handicap hurdle.
Kim Bailey has trained over 1,400 winners and achieved the magical "Big Three", The Grand National (Mr Frisk), The Cheltenham Gold Cup (Master Oats) and The Champion Hurdle (Alderbrook).
It is understood she was knocked out from the fall, with screens put up while she was attended to.
Faerie Cutlass is reported to be fine after the incident.
Trainer Kim Bailey said: "Hopefully she will be fine in time. But it's not going to be an overnight recovery. she has been very much part of my team for the last six or seven years. She has worked with me for a long time. I hope for her and for everyone involved she makes a speedy recovery."
He also commented on the incident in his blog (Bailey's Blog) in which he wrote: "Thank you all for the kind messages re poor Lauren Hawkins.
"I will pass on in time, but at present I am not able to enlighten you on how she is bar quote the statement that was released by the IJF yesterday. The Injured Jockeys Team have been brilliant."
The Midlands Air Ambulance and other ambulances converged on Pitchcroft shortly before 5.30pm in response to the incident.
An eyewitness said the air ambulance took off from Pitchcroft at around 6.20pm.
A spokesperson for the West Midlands Air Ambulance said: "We were called to Worcester Racecourse at 5.26pm yesterday (Sunday).
"An ambulance and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham with a BASICS doctor and paramedic on board attended the scene.
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"On arrival crews found a woman who was being cared for by medical staff after reportedly falling from a horse.
"The woman was given treatment on scene before being conveyed by land ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in a stable condition."
The Amateur Jockeys Association released a statement which read: "All our thoughts are with Lauren and her family. It's good to know that she is receiving the best possible medical care and we are most grateful as always for the pastoral care given by the IJF [Injured Jockeys Fund]. We all hope and pray for Lauren’s speedy recovery. Please say a prayer for Lauren before you go to sleep tonight."
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