Lucky escape at race gates | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Years of riding experience saved former jockey Aaron Taylor from death or serious injury when he was ridden down at the start of a race at Riccarton on Saturday (pictured above).

The 33-year-old starter's assistant was caught in front of the stalls when the gallopers were released for Race Three.

The innermost horse, Double Ar, hit him, but fortunately he was thrown clear of the field.

All he got were bruises and sore ribs.

"I bounce pretty good!" he said - and it hasn't put him off the job.

Mr Taylor used to be a jockey, and rode more than 700 races for about 60 wins.

He started training about 20 months ago and has a team of four horses at Riccarton Park.

It was all that experience that saved him on Saturday, he reckons.

"I'd ridden as a jockey since I was 16 and a lot worse has happened to me than that," he said. "They're large animals and you're bound to get hurt at some stage, especially with racehorses."

He broke ribs and toes in his riding days.

"When I stood up and saw the barriers open, I thought to myself, Crikey!" he said.

His first instinct was to get to the inside, and he thinks Double Ar on the very inside hit him with its chest or knee, and he rolled with it.

"I was always taught that if you have a fall in a race, tuck up like a ball," he said. "If you land flat, that's when you can really get hurt.

"I think if I'd tangled up between two horses it would have been a lot worse.

"Someone's looking after me, but when you're dealing with horses for a long period of time, you learn to move quickly."

He tried to run away from the barrier so the horses could see him.

It was about his fifth meeting working at the barriers - and he's happy to return to the job.

Mr Taylor tapes the races but didn't expect to see himself as the star turn last weekend. "Everyone who turns up asking how I was gets to see it a few times!" he said.

In New Zealand the starter works from a ladder behind the stalls to make sure the last horse is in properly and none are standing up. After the incident stewards told starter Stephanie Payne to start the rest of Saturday's races from in front of the gates.

An inquiry is being held into the incident.