From foxsports.news.com.au

CHAMPION jockey Damien Oliver will almost certainly miss Group One rides on Alinghi, High Cee and Opportunity at Randwick on Saturday after he and Darren Gauci both fell heavily at Moonee Valley last night.

While Gauci was able to walk away from the fall, Oliver was taken to Epworth Hospital suffering back and chest injuries.

"Damien is complaining of pain in his back and in his chest in and in view of that he is on a board," club doctor June McKeogh said.

"When he breathes it hurts. He might have done some ribs but I don't know.

"I am not prepared to take him off the slide to try and examine him here. He has no obvious weakness in his arms or legs but you can't undress him and start examining him here when I might be doing him some damage."

In a tightly bunched field, Oliver was searching for a run on Twenty To Life near the 100 metres in the Nightmarch Hcp (1533m) when his mount appeared to clip the heels of the eventual winner Don't Stop ridden by Wayne Hokai.

Oliver crashed heavily and Darren Gauci who was following on Sanireka also came down.

"It happened pretty quick," Gauci said. "I am a little bit sore and little stiff but I'm all right."

Stewards have adjourned an inquiry into the falls.

Connections of Alinghi were tonight anxiously awaiting a report on Oliver's condition before searching for a replacement rider for her in the Group One $700,000 T J Smith (1200m).

Dan Nikolic and Steven King are frontrunners for the ride should Oliver, as expected, be unable to ride on Saturday.

Noel Callow is the logical replacement for Oliver on the Bart Cummings-trained High Cee in the $2 million AJC Australian Derby.

Callow had initially been engaged to partner High Cee in the classic before his owners learned Oliver was without a ride in the race and booked him for the mount.

Stewards yesterday ruled that Oliver would ride the horse but Callow would be entitled to the losing riding fee or, if the horse earns prizemoney, the (five per cent) winning percentage.

Callow's only other ride at Randwick on Saturday is the Joe Cleary-trained Ta Ta Tatiana in the Sapphire Stakes.

Oliver is also engaged for the Tony Vasil-trained Opportunity in the Group One $422,000 AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).

Gauci's feature ride on Saturday is Yakama in the $125,000 Easter Cup (2000m).

"I should be right," Gauci said.