“It wasn’t much fun but I am feeling okay,” says Ray Green, who spoke today after being moved from intensive care to a ward as he recovers from being kicked by a horse.
Green told The Herald he’s still hopeful of following Copy That to Australia for another campaign across the Tasman, but before that admitted he had much to overcome.
“It (the horse) got me right in the belly button and I reckon it knocked me back about 10 feet,” he said.
“Obviously I don’t remember anything about the operation but I have woken up with a pretty big scar and some of my colon and bowel missing so I will have to wear this bag for around three months.”
Green is in an Auckland hospital after being kicked by a filly in his stabling area, a horrific turn after the highs of conquering another New Zealand Cup with Copy That.
“I am not sure when I will be able to go home and the doctors tell me I won’t be able to do anything physical for three months,” he said.
“But we will see how I go. I hope to be able to still go to Australia later in the summer, I might just have to find somebody to drive the horse in his fast work.”
Green is the harness trainer for huge dual-code ownership group Lincoln Farms and, after an unusual career path that has seen him also train in harness racing backwaters like Wales and England, he has a back catalogue of stories to match his impressive list of feature-race wins.
Green said the Lincoln Farms horses were in good hands and his accident won’t affect their summer aspirations.
“The horses will still be getting great care and will be aimed at the same races,” says Green.
“And I was already thinking about not spending as much time in Australia with Copy That this summer anyway, letting one of the boys look after him part of them time.
“So all that can still go ahead. But first I’ll have to get out of here and start getting up and about.”
