Tough-As-Nails Racehorse Falls, Nearly Dumps Jockey, Recovers, Wins

This happened at something called the ITM Frame and Truss Maiden Steeplechase, in New Zealand. What we’ve got here is a horse falling over on a jump, nearly dumping its jockey, improbably recovering, then blazing back from the dead to win the whole damn race:

The horse is Des De Jeu, and the jockey is Aaron Kuru, and the moment you’ll really want to watch is soon after the tumble, which happens on the very first jump: Des De Jeu reappears on the screen and comes roaring up from the back of the pack to pass a couple slow-poke horses within just a few seconds. The horse fell over! And he’s back in the main pack like 45 seconds later, breathing on the rumps of horses that, I mean come on, those horses have got to be intimidated!

Des De Jeu was reportedly “second favourite” at the event, which I take it means he’s a pretty good horse, but no one saw this coming, including his trainer:

“We thought he wasn’t a bad sort of an animal but after the first fence I wasn’t giving him too much of a chance,” he said.

“I was amazed he got back on as I thought he was gone.”

“He’s a big, scopey horse who jumps well so we think he has a big future as a chaser.”

God bless this big, scopey lad and his never-say-die attitude. Extra carrots for Des De Jeu.