Champion suffers broken leg

LEGENDARY horseman Brian Gath's time in the sulky may be over after he broke his leg last week.

Slipping while walking along his Longlea property, Gath broke his leg in three places, which required the 79-year-old to undergo surgery.

It’s the same leg Gath broke his knee during a horrific fall in Yarra Glen “about 25 years ago”.

“I went to check on a pump before heading to the stables like I do most mornings and just slipped,” Gath said. "It was just after 6am and still dark, the concrete was icy and over I went.

“My left leg got caught under me and I knew straight away I was in trouble.

“After laying on the ground for a bit, I crawled back into the house, woke my wife Denise and told her what happened.

“I’ve had surgery which required a plate being screwed into my leg.”

Without doubt one of the greatest horsemen produced in the Southern Hemisphere, Gath has captured a host of the industry's majors, including the 'Holy Grail' - the Inter Dominion with Markovina in 1978.

Affectionately-known as “The Little Master”, Gath's highlights include multiple driving premierships, being the inaugural Harness Racing Weekly Vin Knight Medallist, the Gordon Rothacker Medal and also representing Australia in the World Driver’s Championship.