Second jockey dead in two days, after race fall in Darwin on Saturday

Tragedy has struck the horseracing industry for the second straight day with another young female rider killed in a fall.

Just a day after tragedy struck the horse racing community with the death of 22-year-old Mikaela Claridge in a trackwork accident at Cranbourne, Victoria, the industry has been rocked by another jockey death.

This time disaster struck in the Northern Territory, with jockey Melanie Tyndall dying after a fall at Darwin racetrack.

Tyndall, 32, who was also a police officer, was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a stable condition but tragically died when she arrived there, The NT News reported.

The incident occurred during race three at Fannie Bay when her mount, the Philip Cole-trained Restless, reportedly clipped the heels of the horse in front and fell.

A horse trailing her trampled Tyndall when she fell to the ground.

The last race at the track was cancelled as a result.

The Darwin Turf Club and Thoroughbred Racing NT (TRNT) released a statement, saying: “It is with great sadness that Thoroughbred Racing NT (TRNT) and the Darwin Turf Club (DTC) confirm the passing of Northern Territory jockey Melanie Tyndall.

“During the running of the third race at Fannie Bay today Melanie’s mount Restless appeared to clip the heels of another runner, she became unbalanced and was dislodged near the 300 metre mark. She received immediate medical assistance from the on course paramedics.

“Melanie was then transported by St John Ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital where she was afforded further medical care, but despite the best efforts of the professionals at RDH, Melanie passed away.”

Tyndall had ridden hundreds of winners in a career that started in 2008 and rode a weekend treble in 2016.

Tyndall after riding three winners in 2016.

TRNT Chief Executive Andrew O’Toole and Darwin Turf Club Chairman Brett Dixon both expressed their sadness at Tyndall’s tragic death, with O’Toole saying: “On behalf of the NT racing industry, I would like to extend our thoughts and heartfelt condolences to Melanie’s family and friends on her passing.

“Melanie was a much respected member of the Northern Territory racing family and her sad passing will be felt by many within the industry.”

On its Facebook page, the Darwin Turf Club said Tyndall “will be missed but never forgotten”.

Other racing identities expressed their condolences on social media with star South Australian-based jockey Dominic Tourneur leading the tributes.

Omg Noooo😭 brings a tear to my eye and a heavy hearted feeling to hear of the passing of #MelTyndall she was a girl who had a genuine heart of gold!💔 what have we done to the racing gods? Why

— Dominic Tourneur (@domjock) August 31, 2019

Can’t believe we have lost 2 beautiful souls in a week. My thoughts and prayers go out to Melanie Tyndall and her family another sad loss to the industry #RIP

— Tommy Berry (@TommyBerry21) August 31, 2019

An unbelievably emotional two days for Australian racing with the tragic deaths of two jockeys through their line of work. The industry is safer than ever before yet things can and do still go wrong. Such a sad period for many.

— Shane Anderson (@Globalgallop) August 31, 2019

It can be a cruel world sometimes , RIP #MelTyndall , died doing what she loved , you were such a lovely person inside and out .
My sincere condolences to her boyfriend , family and friends ❤️😭

— Shiree Knowles (@KnowlesShiree) August 31, 2019

Tyndall was originally from Murray Bridge in South Australia and had been juggling her career as a police officer with race riding.

The news is devastating to the racing industry, which is still mourning the loss of Claridge, just months after she got married.

In the incident at Cranbourne, Claridge was thrown from her mount when it was spooked.

Trainer Ken Keys, who Claridge was apprenticed to, said it could have been anything.

“Both horses shied at the same thing, whatever that thing was, it could’ve been anything, you wouldn’t know,” he said.

Mikaela Claridge died on Friday.

Jockeys competing in the second races at Victorian meetings at Caulfield and Warracknabeal on Saturday wore black armbands while interstate riders did likewise at Rosehill in Sydney and Eagle Farm in Brisbane.

One of Melbourne’s leading jockeys, Dwayne Dunn, delivered heartfelt condolences to 22-year-old Claridge’s family and friends after riding Dawn Dawn to victory in the second race at Caulfield.

“I didn’t have much to do with Mikaela but she was a young girl who had so much opportunity ahead of her,” Dunn said.

Dwayne Dunn returns to the scale after riding Dawn Dawn to victory in Race 2 with his black armband.

“She had an infectious smile and I think the industry is really lost for words for what has happened.

“Condolences to Mikaela’s family and her friends, and the racing industry in general because it’s pretty tough.

“It’s hard to go to work and never come home.

“It probably makes us realise how dangerous this sport can be and you’ve just got to lap up every moment you can when you’re successful and the things when they go bad probably aren’t as bad as you think.”

Ms Claridge was inducted into Racing Victoria’s Apprentice Jockey Training Program in 2015 but a back injury interrupted her career and saw her put her racing dreams on hold.

She returned to riding in 2017 and made her racing debut at Wangaratta in August 2018, coming in second.

Ms Claridge won her first race in September last year.

She was indentured to Ken Keys at Cranbourne and won another 28 races, most recently at Sale on July 11.