John Ryan praises Nottingham staff as 'yard pet' Harry With Style suffers fatal injury after unseating rider in charity race

John Ryan has thanked staff at Nottingham racecourse along with his fellow racing professionals after his sprinter Harry With Style suffered a fatal injury at the track on Thursday following an incident after the Stable Staff Race.

The four-year-old unshipped Ryan's employee Lian Wilson shortly after finishing second in the 6f contest, and then did a complete lap of the track before colliding with a fence close to the chute where the horses access the track.

Despite the best efforts of racecourse vets, staff and some of Ryan's training counterparts, Harry With Style was unable to be saved.

Wilson, who is close to taking out her apprentice licence, was taken to hospital with a broken nose and cuts to her face but was discharged late on Thursday night after having the wounds stitched up.

John Ryan: "I would like to thank them and other members of the racing community who stepped in, including Ben Brookhouse, for their efforts"Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ryan said: "Unfortunately we lost Harry With Style after he collided with a fence and damaged his spine. The racecourse vets and staff at Nottingham couldn't have done any more for the horse. I would like to thank them and other members of the racing community who stepped in, including Ben Brookhouse, for their efforts."

He added: "He had damaged his back so the vets took the decision to put him to sleep, which is tough for us all back at the yard as he was a yard pet and we only kept him to give the apprentices something to ride."

On Lian Wilson, Ryan said: "She's been to the yard this morning with her mum and dad and she's broken her nose and has some cuts to her face. She's badly bruised and will need some time off, which is a shame as she was shortly due to do a fitness test as part of her licence application."

The Nottingham Stable Staff Race, which was staged as part of Racing Staff Week, was the last of four such races around the country this week. The races give stable staff the opportunity to experience a raceday from the perspective of a jockey. The other races were held at Ayr, Chepstow and Newbury.

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