German track rider Friederike Ruhle dies after falling at Caulfield

THE death of German track rider Friederike Ruhle at Caulfield on Wednesday morning has rocked the racing industry.

THE death of German track rider Friederike Ruhle at Caulfield on Wednesday morning has rocked the racing industry.

The Melbourne Racing Club confirmed the 25-year-old Ruhle, who worked for trainer Byron Cozmanis, was riding on the sand track when the accident occurred.

She was attended to by emergency services but died on arrival at the Alfred Hospital.

“It is with great sadness that I express my condolences to Friederike Ruhle’s loved ones on their tragic loss,” MRC chairman Mike Symons said in a statement.

“I have enormous respect for the significant contribution that our track riders make in preparing our equine stars for racing and the inherent risks that comes working with horses.”

Ruhle was the second female fatality at the Caulfield track this year.

In January another visiting rider, Lizz Rice, died at Caulfield in a mysterious track incident at Caulfield and successful jockey Tahlia Rodder suffered significant injuries at Caulfield the same month.

English-born Rice was discovered unconscious near the horse pool at Caulfield and had suffered head and chest injuries. The circumstances of Rice’s death are unclear. She was taken off life support a fortnight after her accident.

The deaths of the German and English track riders continued a bleak theme of deaths in the female riding ranks.

Simone Montgomerie died in a track fall on Darwin Cup day in 2013, followed three months later, in November that year, by the death of Desiree Gill in a race fall.

In October last year Carly-Mae Pye and Caitlin Forrest died from race injuries in falls in Queensland and South Australia respectively.

Amy Hermann is in hospital in South Australia after a serious fall last month.

Work Safe is investigating the circumstances of the death of Ruhle and an industry source said the safety of track riders at Caulfield, which is among the state’s busiest trackwork venues, is likely to be investigated.

The source, while insisting there was no query on the capabilities of Rice and Ruhle, also said the hiring process of local trainers using visiting track riders might also be investigated.

Aquanita Racing, which had employed Rice, has a rigorous “rating’’ system of its track riders and said Rice was extremely capable.

The club is conducting a full investigation into the circumstances of Ruhle’s accident in conjunction with Victoria Police and Work Safe.