by Michael Guerin
One of our greatest ever drivers Ricky May has been rushed to hospital after a shocking mid-race incident at Omakau today.
May collapsed in the sulky after suffering a heart attack when driving favourite A G’s White Socks in front in the day’s feature race the Central Otago Cup.
May fell backwards seemingly unconscious in the sulky while the horse continued on and then fell to the track, all live in front of the big crowd and televised around Australasia.
The race was quickly called off and medical crews rushed to work on May but it is believed young female driver Ellie Barron, who was not participating in the race, was one of the first people to May and performed CPR on him.
He was then attended to by medical professionals who were in the crowd, including an off-duty intensive care doctor.
May spent over an hour being stabilised by the local ambulance crews before first one then another Air Ambulance arrived to help.
He was diagnosed as being in a critical condition and it was deemed too dangerous to airlift him to hospital immediately but a helicopter taking him to Dunedin Hospital eventually lifted off at 6.15pm on Thursday night.
The racing stewards who run the race meeting confirmed May had suffered a cardiac arrest and the remainder of the meeting was called off.
May has reined nearly 3000 race winners in New Zealand, making him the third most successful driver in the industry’s history and has won our greatest race, the New Zealand Trotting Cup seven times.
He has also reined countless major winners including winning the Miracle Mile, Sydney’s greatest harness race twice.
May, married with children, is based in Methven in Mid-Canterbury and is an immensely popular member of not only the harness racing industry but the wider New Zealand racing community.
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