Andrew Fortune won three Gr 1 races in January this year and also won the Gr 2 Sceptre Stakes on Gimme What I Want (pictured: Wayne Marks), but a shocking fall on 20 February at Fairview ended the roll
Andrew Fortune’s remarkably quick recovery from injuries that included six broken ribs, punctured lungs, a fractured clavicle and a severed shoulder blade in a fall at Fairview on 20 February sees him accepting two rides at the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting on Wednesday April 15.
For SA Racing’s amazing comeback kid to come back in seven weeks and five days from those injuries at the age of 58 is further testament to his inspirational resilience.
His first ride back is due to be on the Justin Snaith-trained Royal Mo colt From The Island, who won third time out when stepped up to 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, and he is now a runner in a Juvenile Plate over 1400m at the meeting on the 15th for which declarations happened on Thursday this week.
His other ride will be on Eight On Eighteen’s half-brother Future Free, a twice-winning 89-rated Futura three-year-old gelding.
He runs in a Class 4 race over 1600m, where he has been set a weight of 61kg.
Fortune said recently, “I have visited the hyperbaric chamber regularly. I listened to my doctor and stayed in the loop at the Snaith team.”
The injuries possibly cost him two Gr 1 victories.
The horses he rode to Gr 1 glory on WSB Met day, the Justin Snaith-trained pair See It Again and Double Grand Slam, both won Gr 1 at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.
Craig Zackey rode both of them superbly, but he is retained by Khaya Stables and is tied to the Dean Kanemeyer yard, so he is unlikely to be able to commit to either horse for the Champions Season.
