New Zealand apprentice jockey Triston Moodley is on the mend in Hamilton Hospital following an incident at the Waipa trials on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old hoop was kicked in the head in the mounting yard at the Te Awamutu track and he was airlifted to Waikato Hospital where he underwent surgery on Tuesday night.
Moodley is apprenticed to Byerley Park trainer Danny Walker, who has been by his bedside and reported that he has come through the surgery well.
“He got kicked in the head yesterday at the trials, he is in Hamilton Hospital, and he had surgery last night and had a plate put in,” Walker said.
“It was quite a long operation, but he has come through it well. They did a scan today and they are reasonably happy. They said there is a little bit of blood there, but it should dissolve.
“They will do another scan tomorrow and continue to monitor him. He is very drowsy and tired after a big surgery. It will just be a long resting period for him at the moment to recuperate.”
The winner of 52 races in a career-best season, there is no timeline for Moodley's return to the saddle.