'There was a big bang when one of the engines failed' - emergency plane landing gives five jockeys big scare

One of the five jockeys who missed rides on day three at Glorious Goodwood after their plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday morning has spoken of the panic on board when one of the plane's two engines failed.

Northern-based jockeys PJ McDonald, Callum Rodriguez, Rowan Scott, Jack Garritty and Tom Eaves were passengers on a small private plane when the incident meant they had to return to Bagby airfield in North Yorkshire for an emergency landing. 

"We were on a two-engined plane and one of the engines failed," Scott said. "We weren't exactly calm at the time. We panicked a bit.

"There was a big bang when one of the engines failed. The pilot said straight away that he needed to bring it down, so we turned around and flew back to Bagby.

"He brought the plane down but as we were coming down there was another bang. Something had flown off the engine and hit the side of the plane.

Rowan Scott: "We weren't exactly calm at the time. We panicked a bit"Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Speaking to the Mirror, Scott added: "The pilot was great. He kept his cool but we knew we were in a bit of bother. I'd say we were a good half hour into the flight, possibly halfway there.

"If we'd been in real bother the pilot would have brought the plane down at the nearest airstrip but he turned around. The pilot wasn't best pleased with the situation we were in but he was keeping his cool.

"We were already on edge when we heard the second bang, as we were approaching Bagby.

"Jockeys often fly down from there. I hadn't before and I don't think I'll be rushing to do it again. We were all a bit shook up. Thank God we're in one piece."

Scott was due to ride Magellan Cloud in the opening Coral Kincsem Handicap but the John and Sean Quinn-trained runner was instead ridden by Saffie Osborne, while McDonald was replaced on Serenity Blue by David Probert.

Charlie Bishop profited from Scott’s absence in the Buccellati Handicap when he steered the Alice Haynes-trained Naana’s Sparkle to a hard-fought victory in the rain.

Haynes said: "Poor Rowan, he was upset when he called me this morning to say he couldn't make it. He sounded quite shaken and thank God they are safe and okay. I think the engine failed 20 minutes into the flight, which is not very nice."

In the same race, Dan Tucker was ridden by Ryan Moore, who stepped in for the absent Garritty.

Robert Havlin took over from McDonald on Just Call Me Angel in the 7f fillies' maiden and Shane Gray replaced Tom Eaves on Isle Of Fernandez in the same race.

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