Police find body during search for jockey Chris Caserta, father in law breaks silence

Chris Caserta’s long-term partner has opened up about her devastating loss after the jockey’s body was found off the Gold Coast on Friday morning.

Jockey Chris Caserta’s partner has spoken of her devastation after his body was found off the Gold Coast, saying: “I am broken.”

Mr Caserta, 26, disappeared after going for a late night swim with fellow jockey Amy Graham at Surfers Paradise on Wednesday night.

His body was found off the Southport Spit on Friday morning after a massive air, sea and land search.

His partner of two-and-half years, Brittany Wise, took to Instagram to tell of her heartbreak.

“My man has been found and can be brought home,” she posted.

“I am broken. Today’s for you bub, I love you.”

Brittany Wise paid tribute to her partner Chris Caserta on social media. Picture: Instagram

In a post on Thursday after Mr Caserta vanished, Ms Wise said he’d called her the previous evening to tell her he was “going out with the boys”.

He told her: “I promise I’ll talk to you throughout the night Ok bubby I love you so much.”

“And that was the last time I heard from him,” she said.

“I wish we could wake up from this horrible dream and all of this would be over, to say I’m heartbroken is an understatement, my heart is aching and so need you here with me.

“I refuse to believe any of this is true until you are back in my arms.”

Ms Wise is the daughter of Murwillumbah horse trainer Steven Wise.

Earlier today, Mr Wise said his family had not come to terms with the death of his daughter’s long-term partner and “I don’t know when we will”.

“It has been horrendous,” Murwillumbah-based horse trainer Steven Wise said.

Apprentice and trackwork rider Amy Graham. Picture: Supplied

“It is something we haven’t come to terms with yet and I don’t know when we will.

“It is something pretty horrendous that happens in the world but you don’t think it will happen to you and when it does you can’t believe it.”

Police recovered his body 200m offshore near the sand pumping jetty in Main Beach at 8.45am on Friday morning.

The body has been formally identified as Mr Caserta and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Wise said his daughter Brittany, who has been in a relationship with Caserta for two-and-a-half-years, was “not really good but that is to be expected in the circumstances.”

A Herald Sun cover shot of Chris Caserta before the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The trainer revealed the family was notified of Caserta’s disappearance in the late hours of Wednesday night and that they had spent hours on end since on the foreshore looking for him.

“You just lose track of time when these things happen,” Wise said.

“We were immediately down by the beach for the last day-and-a-half. We have spent our time down there communicating with police, search and rescue and everyone else.

“We were hoping and praying that he may have been found alive. Unfortunately we have received the news that he hasn’t.”

Police announced on Thursday afternoon that they were no longer conducting a rescue mission and that they were searching for the rising star’s body.

“We are searching for Chris’s body as the time frame for survival has passed,” Senior Sergeant Jay Notaro said at the time.

“It is an absolute tragedy at any time, especially being so close to Christmas.

“On behalf of the police service I’d like to pass on our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues in the racing industry.”

Mr Caserta and Graham entered the water off the Esplanade in Surfers Paradise with trackwork rider Amy Graham, 25, just after 10pm, shortly before his disappearance.

Mr Caserta working out before a race. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Passers-by spotted the pair struggling in the water and were comforting the woman after she got herself to shore, Sgt Notaro said. It is believed they were caught in a rip.

A land, sea and air search began just before 2am Thursday morning. He entered the water near Tower 34 wearing only black shorts.

Graham was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition and released Thursday morning.

The rescue helicopter and lifesavers on jet skis patrolled for some time Thursday morning but were unable to locate him.

“It’s an extremely tragic situation and our thoughts are with the horse racing community and the wider Gold Coast,” Chief Lifeguard at Gold Coast City Council Chris Maynard said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s small or big swell, if no one can see you then no one can save you.

“Unfortunately, if you’re not a strong swimmer and something goes wrong in the water you won’t stand a chance.

“That is the biggest danger with swimming at night when the beach is unpatrolled.”

A lifeguard putting out signage after Mr Caserta had been missing for 12 hours. Picture: Adam Head

Police during the search for Mr Caserta. Picture: Adam Head

Wise and Caserta first crossed paths in Albury, NSW, where the jockey rode for his stable.

It lead to the start of his relationship with Brittany Wise and after completing his jockeys apprenticeship, Caserta moved to Queensland at the end of last year.

“He wasn’t just a typical jockey,” Steven Wise said.

“He was unique. He had an amazing personality and he was a caring, kind sort of guy. He was honest and genuine.”

Caserta’s last race win came on November 13 at the Gold Coast where he lead Wise’s Gem Of The Lochs to victory.

It was his second straight win on the horse who will race again on Friday at Ipswich at 2.17pm.

“We weren’t going to run her but after thinking about it and talking with the family we decided to go ahead,” Wise said.

“Chris desperately wanted her to race because she is going for a third-straight win.

“In Chris’ honour we will run her and hopefully she can live up to his last start.

“He wasn’t going to be riding her. He took himself off her because she was going up in weight considerably after her last win so Chris did the right thing and told us to put an apprentice on so they could claim some weight and take some of the load off.” The Queensland Jockeys’ Association has arranged for black armbands to be worn across the weekend, including Friday, in honour of Caserta’s last win.

Mr Caserta at Gem of the Lochs.

Racing Queensland said Caserta’s death was being felt across the entire racing community.

“First and foremost, our sincerest condolences are extended to the Caserta family and our thoughts are with them at this tragic time,” Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell said.

“The loss of any life is very sad, and at just 26 and with a bright future ahead of him, his loss will be strongly felt by the entire racing community, particularly the Gold Coast fraternity.

“In lieu of the circumstances, Racing Queensland will provide support services for industry participants who are grieving Chris’ loss. It’s important that we rally together and for our participants to be supported.

“We were all hoping that Chris would be found safe and well, but our worst fears have been confirmed, and as an industry, we will grieve his loss.”

Mr Caserta moved to the Gold Coast in early 2021 after Covid-19 protocols impacted his career in Victoria.

Before then he had suffered lengthy sidelines including two horseriding accidents. One left him waiting 18 months to return to the track due to a serious leg break.

In 2019 he was the talk of racing circles after his weight loss to ride Jedastar at 44kg in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

While Jedastar finished last in the 2019 Lightning, Caserta told News Corp earlier this year he would love another chance to ride at racing’s highest level and was trying to leave no stone unturned in his bid to start again and climb up racing’s highest peaks.

Southeast Queensland has been swamped by heavy rain and bad weather conditions this week with flooding reported in many areas.

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