Western India-based jockey D K Ashish who had gone to Kolkata to ride Bold As Brass in the Calcutta Okas (Gr 3) yesterday had a nasty fall during the race. Just when the 11-horse field was straightening up for the homestretch after negotiating the final turn at the 500-meter marker.

Bold As Brass apparently stumbled badly on the wide outside, throwing off Ashish. The fall was so nasty it fractured the jockey's skull. Ashish was immediately taken to hospital, where doctors found no pulse, but after herculean effort managed to revive his heartbeats and put him on ventilator.