Tributes pour in for Gympie jockey Desiree Gill, who died after a race fall at weekend

JOCKEY Desiree Gill remembered as not only a mentoring figure, but one of the toughest people in racing.

Apprentice jockey Tamara Tincknell (left) with the jockey she used to call "Mum", Desiree Gill (right), who died aft

COLLEAGUES and students yesterday remembered Desiree Gill as not only a mentoring figure, but one of the toughest people in racing.

Racing Queensland are expected to today announce the establishment of a fund for Gill's family after the 45-year-old died following a race fall at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday night.

Gill could have thrown in the towel many times during her career, but had a steely resolve to return after each serious injury.

Former top jockey Bernadette Cooper marvelled Gill's tenacity.

"She had a lot of falls, but she was one of the toughest people you could meet riding," Cooper said.

"She had some terrible injuries, but kept coming back. She just loved it."

In the 1990s, doctors told her she would never ride again after smashing her right ankle in a trackwork accident at Caloundra.

Then in 2003, she fractured her right leg in 10 places after a track accident at Caloundra. It put her out of riding for four-and-a-half years.

Then, less than a year after returning to the saddle, she was flown from Gympie to Brisbane after being kicked in the face by a horse she was saddling.

The jockey and her husband Barry have been wonderful contributors to racing in this state, in particular in the training of young apprentices.

In an interview this year, Desiree told of how much she loved seeing youngsters come along with an interest in becoming involved in racing.

"I've probably driven Barry mad over the years as we've taken on a truckload of kids," she said.

Apprentice jockey Tamara Tincknell used to call her "Mum''.

"You could ask her absolutely anything. She would always answer it honestly, anything to help us improve she was happy to do that," Tincknell said.

"She watched all of them on TV. She'd ring me afterwards and even if she knows it was a bad ride, or the horse didn't go as good as I wanted it to, she was the first person that would ring me."

Jockey Desiree Gill. Picture: Barry Pascoe

Apprentice jockey Tiffany Jeffries said she fondly remembered her time with Gill who loved helping young jockeys reach their goals.

"Des was like the mother hen in the jockeys' room. She always had encouraging advice to give us and perked us up when we were feeling down - she had the best laugh and the most caring and strong nature," she said.

"When I came to Queensland she called me and said she used to ride with my father Dale, in NSW when she was starting out, and he helped her a lot and she was very thankful.

"So she said she would do the same for me and she did."

Adrian Gray, an owner of the horse that won the race in which Gill fell on Saturday, yesterday said he would donate his share of the prizemoney to the Jockeys Trust.

"I encourage all fellow owners and punters to donate also, no matter how small. Money can't bring Desiree back, but supports her family. RIP," he wrote on Twitter.

In August, Gill was crowned Champion Gympie jockey for 2012-13, following 27 wins. Husband Barry was champion trainer with 21 winners.

Just two weeks ago, Gill won the Gympie Cup for the second year running on Troilus Fuse, a horse she rode into third in the opening event at last night's meeting.

Racing Queensland chief executive Darren Condon said the death of Desiree was a tragic event which will be felt deeply by the close-knit racing fraternity.

"I know everyone in the racing fraternity is saddened by this tragic loss and we pass on our deepest sympathies to Desiree's husband Barry and the Gill family," Condon said.

Gill, who was 45, is survived by her husband and two sons.