It could have been bad. Real bad. Two horses hitting the ground simultaneously, their jockeys going down with them. This frightening scene played out during a novice hurdle race last Saturday at Ireland’s Gowran Park. Jockey Bryan Cooper was leading a field of five aboard Gunnery Sergeant when they clipped a hurdle and tumbled to the turf. Following closely behind were Neverushacon and jockey Robbie Power, who had no time to avoid their rivals and down they went.

Luckily, both horses quickly rose to their feet in good order, as did Cooper. Power, however, was not so fortunate. Somewhere in the fracas, his foot got caught in the stirrup and as Neverushacon regained his footing, Power dangled helplessly, his fate now in the hooves of the perplexed 4-year-old gelding. He was living every rider’s worst nightmare.

Then, something incredible happened…

Talk about right place, right time. Cooper’s quick action saved Power from potential disaster. Sportsmanship in the heat of competition. Both horses, and riders, came out unscathed.

“It’s amazing how quickly you react when you’re in trouble,” Power told RacingPost.com. “I knew I was stuck and I got a hold of the reins and was able to pull the horse back towards Bryan. Fair play to him, he reacted very quickly.

“The strap on the leather wrapped around my ankle and that’s what caught me. It’s one of those freak accidents, hopefully it never happens again and luckily a disaster was avoided. I live to tell the tale of it.”

As we’ve seen time and time again, jockeys are fiercely competitive (and a touch insane), but out on the turf, where disaster can strike without warning, exists an unwritten code of humanity. Although their chosen profession is nothing short of bonkers, jockeys are humans after all.