December 26, 2008

THE parents of apprentice jockey Lachlan Fyfe - who has been in a coma at a Sydney hospital for 10 days after a racetrack fall - were granted a Christmas miracle yesterday when the 23-year-old opened his eyes.

Fyfe "woke up" in Nepean Hospital, where he has remained unconscious since his sickening barrier trial at Hawkesbury on December 15.

It is understood he has opened his eyes for the first time but is yet to speak.

Doctors are, however, encouraged by the development, as are his parents and girlfriend, who have remained at his hospital bedside since the accident.

Fyfe was thrown to the ground while riding an unraced two-year-old in the last of eight trials.

His mount, Mealtime, snapped a leg less than 100m from the finish of the barrier trial, sending horse and rider crashing to the turf.

Fyfe was knocked unconscious on impact.

Mealtime suffered fatal leg injuries in the fall and was put down.

Fyfe was taken by ambulance to Nepean Hospital and placed in an induced coma while doctors assessed his head injuries.

He was transferred to the intensive care ward and put on a life-support system.

Initial scans did not show any brain injury but doctors described his condition as serious.

Yesterday, a spokesman for trainer Graeme Rogerson, to whom Fyfe is indentured, confirmed the young jockey had "woken up".

Fyfe's family, who are from the Central Coast, were last night awaiting the results of further tests.