Florescent Star euthanized after horrific fall in Mooney Valley

A horse has been euthanized after suffering serious injuries in a horrific fall at Mooney Valley Racecourse.

Florescent Star fell down after clipping the front runner’s heels at Moonee Valley’s All-Star Mile meeting in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.

Shocking footage showed the disturbing moment when the five-year-old mare fell headfirst into the turf.

Jockey Teo Nugent was attended to by doctors before being taken to hospital.

Nugent was thrown to the ground in front of a wall of horses in the meeting’s sixth race, the listed 1200-yard Abell Stakes.

The 24-year-old was taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital but is conscious and can move all his limbs.

The galloper trained by Amy and Ash Yargi was rammed through the inside rail and then lay down on the inside track before a green screen was set up to hide the gruesome scene.

After the death of their beloved five-year-old mare, Argi Racing wrote on Twitter: ‘We are devastated. We love you Flo’.

Florescent Star was riding strong into the final corner as she ran into the rear of the tiring leaders as they turned into the home straight and clipped In The Boat’s heels.

Harry Coffey, who was aboard In the Boat, said the incident “looked a bit gross” and felt lucky he and his mount didn’t fall.

“Thoughts of Teo and of course the connections of the horse he sat on,” Coffey said.

“That looked a little dirty, and I followed Teo, and it’s amazing how racing works; if my filly had jumped cleaner, which we would have liked to have done, we could have been in place instead of a few further back.

“That’s how racing goes, it’s all about luck.”

The five-year-old mare had to be humanely euthanized after suffering significant injuries when she fell headfirst into the turf (Photo: Florescent Star after winning the 2021 McIntyre Sprint)

Nugent had to be attended to by track doctors Saturday afternoon at the All-Star Mile meeting in Moonee Valley after his horse Florescent Star fell after clipping the runner’s heels in front of him

The fall comes because jockey Jamie Kah suffered a serious concussion last week and Craig Williams broke several bones when they both fell in the same race at Flemington.

The week before, Ethan Brown was also hospitalized after his horse fell during the Australian Guineas.

Jockey Jamie Mott previously said that while you never think about it during the race, it makes you think about the dangers after the race.

‘It can happen to anyone. No, it doesn’t scare you, but it makes you realize what can really happen [on the track],” Mott told The Age.

“Of course we are all very concerned. Once a fall happens, whoever it is, and it’s a relief to find that everything is going to be okay,” Mott said.

‘[You] support as much as you can… We’re all a really good bunch of jockeys, we rally behind each other, and we’re definitely there if anyone needs us.’

Nugent was taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital but is conscious and can move all his limbs (Photo: Teo Nugent aboard Mount Northern Sky in Kyneton)