UPDATE: Dean Holland has sadly passed away following the fall at Donald today – Read more here
Monday’s Victorian meeting at Donald was abandoned after one race following a fall that resulted in one jockey being airlifted to hospital in Melbourne with ‘critical’ injuries.
Dean Holland was severely injured after his mount Headingley came down in the Leading Teams 3YO Maiden Plate that kicked off the card.
Alana Kelly was also involved in the fall after her mount Time To Rumble was brought down by Headingley, who fell shortly after turning for home in the 1000-metre evet, but she was on her feet quickly with Holland the subject of on-course treatment by paramedics before air transport arrived.
“Dean Holland is to be airlifted to Melbourne. Injuries are critical. Further update as advised,” the Victorian Jockeys’ Association said in a brief statement just over an hour after the fall.
The meeting was officially abandoned by ‘stewards’ order’ at 2.39pm with chief steward Ray Livingstone telling Racing.com it was a decision supported by participants.
“Clearly, we’ve had a serious fall in the first race and Dean Holland is undergoing treatment as we speak,” Livingstone said.
“It was the decision of the stewards to abandon the meeting bearing in mind the nature of the circumstances.
“We felt it not prudent to push on with the meeting, so hence the decision was made by us to abandon (the meeting), which I must say, was met by unanimous agreement by the riders.”
