JOCKEY Jason Hoopert is uncertain how long he will spend sidelined through injury after a horror smash at Mount Isa races last weekend.
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Hoopert, the former Sunshine Coast-based rider who has successfully migrated to the central west, was dislodged from his mount Chantilly Bay shortly after passing the 200 metres pole in the Maiden Plate, a race over 1000m.
According to the official stewards report of the incident, Chantilly Bay, a five-year-old mare from the Scott Seymour stable, fractured its off-front cannon and was euthanised.
Chantilly Bay, once trained in Brisbane by Steve O'Dea, was having her fifth race start and fourth in all for the Mount Isa-based Seymour.
Hoopert, meantime, was taken to the Mount Isa Base Hospital where doctors confirmed he had damaged the T4, 5, 6 and 7 vertebrae.
"In layman's terms I've broken the little wings off each of those vertebrae," Hoopert said.
"Fortunately there is no damage to the spinal cord but when I can resume is another big question.
"I could be out for at least a month but who knows."
Hoopert was meant to start a new job yesterday (Monday) to supplement his racetrack income.
"I know things could have been worse but truly this injury could not have come at a more difficult time for me," Hoopert said.
"I moved up this way because riding opportunities on the Sunny Coast were drying up pretty quickly and when I did arrive in the Isa it took quite a while for trainers and owners to put their faith in me.
"Lately business has been going good. I have made contact with the leading stables and getting rides on better horses and, importantly, I've been winning races.
"But this will set me back, so I guess I will just have to start again whenever that might be."
Hoopert's injury meant he forfeited rides in the remaining four races with stewards ordering new riders for Encoronada (Justin Esser), Divine Rouge and Split The Atom (Ray Hancock) and King Solomon (Terrence Hill).
Of his Hoopert's missed mounts, Dixie Rouge did best winning its event, the Benchmark 55 Handicap (1000m).
A spokesman for the stewards said Hoopert would need to submit a medical certificate prior to resuming race riding.
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