Jockey inquest adjorned
The inquest into the death of a 22-year-old flat race jockey was adjourned today because the main witness was riding in India.
Sean Cleary from Athlone died in Beaumont Hospital on November 1 last year, days after a fall from All Heart in the Corrib Oil Auction Race at Galway.
His father, Thomas, said: “We are trying to cope. We have three others at home but it is something you never forget. It is a life sentence.”
Nap Keeling, barrister for the Cleary family, made an application to adjourn the inquest as the main witness, jockey Niall McCullagh, was not present.
Mr Keeling said: “We are slightly mystified as to why he was the only jockey interviewed about what happened.”
Sgt Peadar Ryan, from Galway, said: “There was only one report made after the race by any of the jockeys concerned and that was Mr McCullagh.”
The sergeant said there was another witness present in court, Terence Crowe, an ambulance driver who was close to the scene.
Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, told the court that most of the flat jockeys work outside Ireland for the winter season and will not return until next year.
Mr Egan said he would contact Mr McCullagh within the next few days.
Mr Keeling said they took issue with a small part of the witness statement.
“If another statement from another jockey was taken it might be helpful to us I think,” he added.
The inquest heard people will view the tape of the race and identify another jockey in close proximity to the accomplished rider so another statement could be taken.
Mr Cleary, who was accompanied by his wife Kathleen, said: “We will be happy when the key witness does attend. There shouldn’t be any problem in getting another jockey to make a statement.”
Mr Cleary, two of whose other sons are also jockeys, told the inquest that his son “started on ponies about the age of four”.
The deceased jockey’s girlfriend, Maggie Farrell, gave birth to a boy in the days following his death.
PJ Murphy, of the Health and Safety Authority, told the court that a inquiry was being carried out and Dr Walter Halley, the Turf Club Medical Officer, was also present in court.
Dr Brian Farrell, the coroner, said a Turf Club video of the race, which shows the horse falling, would be shown to the jury.
He granted the adjournment to next year – to have Mr McCullagh attend and to locate another jockey who was riding in the race on October 26, 2003.
