Friday, 19 December 2008


Aussie jockey Gavin McKeon is in Intensive Care in a New Zealand hospital after suffering suspected head injuries in a race fall at Otaki yesterday.

Best known for his exploits as the regular rider of New Zealand’s champion galloper Seachange, McKeon clipped heels aboard Henry Daniel in a Ratings 80 Race over 2100m and was sent crashing to the turf.

McKeon was rushed to Palmerston North Hospital where he was placed under sedation in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit.

The jockey was heavily concussed when leaving the track with suspected head injuries.

"He has been put into an induced coma for a 24 hours to access damage," Gavin's brother Todd McKeon said.

"Doctors have told us it's likely they will bring him out of it on Saturday morning and tests done thus far leave us optimistic that there is not too much damage."
McKeon, 28 was originally from Guerie near Dubbo in NSW, did his apprenticeship in Brisbane before heading to New Zealand where he has risen through the ranks to become one of New Zealand’s leading riders.