By Tony McMahon
Rockhampton trainer Lyle Rowe, seriously injured in a horse related accident at Callaghan Park racecourse on August 7, is back at the helm of his training operation.
Rowe spent almost seven weeks in a Rockhampton hospital undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for head injuries which included a fracture and a brain bleed.
He was released from hospital on Tuesday, and within hours was back at his Callaghan Park stables doting on his horses.
Rowe has no recollection of the accident in the early hours of Friday August 7, when he was either kicked or knocked to the ground by a horse he was leading to the racetrack tie-up stalls for trackwork.
“To be honest, I don’t remember anything about what happened,” Rowe said.
At first there were grave concerns for Rowe, a former outstanding jockey and multiple premierships-winning trainer.
However, the positive prognosis he has received comes as no surprise given his resilience and fitness.
“They expect I’ll make a full recovery and I should be fine,” the 97-year-old said.
“I still have to do some work with them (rehabilitation) but apart from that I feel good.”
Jason Piper passes away
On a sad note, former premiership winning Rockhampton apprentice jockey and brilliant rider Jason Piper died age 40 at Redcliffe on Tuesday night.
Piper commenced riding in 1996 when apprenticed to Allan Jenkinson at Yeppoon under whose guidance he became an almost instant success.
The combination enjoyed numerous race wins including a Brisbane success with Outbreak.
Piper made a return to race riding after a 13-year absence at Bundaberg in July when he ironically teamed up for his first ride back on the Jenkinson-trained Ararrac, finishing unplaced.
Jason had been riding track work and shedding weight for almost a year before competing in numerous trials to regain his licence for his comeback.
“It is very sad what happened to Jason, he had not been riding for a month because he was having some health issues including I believe memory loss,” Jenkinson said.
“Jason collapsed at home and was taken to Redcliffe Hospital where he died from what I was told to be a swelling of the brain.”
Master Jamie Toowoomba bound
In other racing news, the Graeme Green-trained Rockhampton sprinter Master Jamie has just scraped into the field for Saturday’s Listed 1200-metre Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba.
Les Tilley, who has a glorious winning record on Master Jamie, has the Weetwood ride in which the pair have drawn barrier 10, but may come into eight if the first two emergencies don’t gain a start.