Veteran cricketer Arnold Manders and his pony Shamrock Victoria are both resting as they recover from a harrowing ordeal at Vesey Street during last weekend's harness racing action.

What should have been a momentous occasion for the Western Stars all-rounder, marking his debut at the track, turned almost disastrous when his spooked pony went crashing to the ground, sending its rider barrelling down the track.

Mander's pony suffered two deep abrasions during the mishap, while the rookie driver had to be taken to hospital where it was discovered that he had broken his left wrist.

Die-hard Western Stars fans need not worry though, as it was not Manders' bowling hand that was fractured in the incident.

A gym teacher at Berkeley Institute, who also happens to be the current Under 19 national youth team cricket coach, he is expected to be out of action for six weeks, while his pony may return in about a week.

"My pony seemed kind of edgy all night," recalled Manders, who has been involved around horses most of his life and is also the nephew of rival harness racer Arthur Hurst.

"She kept coming off her feet and I don't know whether the hobbles were too loose or too tight.

"I really don't know what happened. Perhaps she may have even been nervous.

"I set them accordingly, but maybe I might have needed to adjust them some more."

The accident, the first accident at the track this season, occurred during the second half of the 1.10 to 1.12 time bar.

"It was my first race and we were going pretty fast," said the former Bermuda senior national team skipper and St.George's Cup Match stalwart.

"I came flying out of the sulky and did a karate roll and then about ten minutes later I began to feel a little tingling in my fingers.

"I said 'Robin ( his wife) get Arthur (uncle) to sort out the pony and take me to the hospital.'

"The pony suffered a pretty deep gash in his knee and shoulder but he should be back out on the track in about ten days."

Mander's injury also re-opened an old wound.

"I broke the same wrist doing high jump when I was in primary school," he added. "I've felt that sort of pain before. That's how I knew that it was broken once I began to feel the tingling."

Despite the temporary setback, Manders remains optimistic of making a speedy recovery and hopes to be back in the sulky by early January.

"It really breaks my heart to know that I'm going to be out for six weeks," he said.

Shamrock Victoria is the son of former speed merchant Shamrock Tuxedo owned by local breeder Andy Stoneham and now stationed in Indiana, USA.

Harness racing resumes tomorrow night at Vesey Street (7 p.m.). A total of 54 ponies are set to compete in the evening's 30 races.