Gavin Lerena (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Gavin Lerena can count himself remarkably lucky after getting off lightly from a horror fall in the Listed Derby Trial at Turffontein on Saturday, 31 March 2018.
Gavin was approximately 150m from the finish line on the Mike de Kock-trained Hakeem when Soldier On (Marco van Rensburg) shifted out towards Hakeem, who became squeezed for running room and fell.
While Hakeem recovered and cantered across the finish line unaided, in the process of falling and regaining his feet, he injured Gavin who had to be stretchered off the course to Milpark Hospital.
Gavin’s father Tex confirms that Gavin has suffered a concussion as well as a broken right clavicle and scapula and will undergo surgery to his clavicle on Sunday, 1 April. He is likely to be out of action for 6-8 weeks.
“We are lucky,” said a relieved Tex, who was at Gavin’s side along with Gavin’s wife Vicky and mother, Avril. “It was a bad fall and we are blessed he got off so lightly.”
He asked to convey his sincere thanks to everyone for the all the calls and well wishes.
