Racing isn't just about glitz and glamour, this fallen hero epitomises the other side of the sport

Anyone attending the Melbourne Cup carnival could be excused for thinking racing is only about glamour.

Anyone attending the Melbourne Cup carnival could be excused for thinking racing is all about glamour and glitz, millionaires and models, Waterhouses and wealth.

But the beauty of the sport is that battlers can compete against the best.

You get stories like Takeover Target, the $1000 horse, owned and trained by a taxi driver, that became the best sprinter in the nation.

Or Polanksi, the $4000 bargain, that last weekend won the Victorian Derby.

Desiree Gill was another great racing story - just like Gai Waterhouse and a lot of other women who have excelled in the sport.

On Melbourne Cup day last week, Gill rode four winners and a third placing on a five-race card at Thabeban Park, Bundaberg.

She spoke about it in the local paper the next day.

"It was a lovely I could hear the crowd as I came around the home turn," she said.

"There was one race when I could hear my husband yell out 'go you old girl', which was pretty special."

Tragically, Desiree Gill died over the weekend.

She was riding a horse called Celtic Ambition, an $18 chance, in race five at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday night.

The Programmed Property Services Maiden Handicap - 1600m.

Her riding fee $143. Just another race. $6500 first prize money.

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As the field thundered towards the 1200m mark, Celtic Ambition clipped the heels of another runner.

Desiree fell heavily and suffered severe head trauma.

She was rushed to Nambour hospital, placed on life support, but passed away overnight.

Other jockeys at Caloundra were too traumatised for the meeting to continue. It was abandoned after the fall.

Desiree was 45 years old, married to Gympie based trainer Barry Gill and mother of two sons aged 21 and 19.

She had been riding for about 20 years and had 98.5 winners.

She had won the South-East Queensland Country premiership for the past two years

Desiree and Barry were well known for travelling to tracks hundreds of kilometres from Gympie, two hours north of Brisbane.

She rarely rode in the city but was well known in the bush.

Racing Queensland issued the following statement yesterday morning.

"She was a highly experienced and respected jockey whose untimely death has shocked and deeply saddened the racing industry.

"Desiree was widely admired and loved for her passion for the racing industry and in particular, her commitment to developing the next generation of jockeys."

Her death comes just a few months after Darwin's leading rider Simone Montgomerie died following a fall at their annual Cup meeting in August.

It puts everything else that happened over the weekend into perspective.

Sure the Wallabies and Kangaroos won, as did the Wanderers and Sydney FC. It means nothing.

Not when we've lost a mother, a wife … and a very capable jockey.

The stewards report

Approaching the 1200m, Celtic Ambition fell. As a result of this, jockey D. Gill sustained serious injuries, resulting in her having to be transported to hospital.

Following advice from the club's medical officer, it was decided unanimously by the riders in the remaining races, and in consultation with members of the club committee and executive, that the remainder of the meeting be abandoned.

Evidence was taken from every jockey that rode in Race 5, including that of all apprentices whose evidence was taken in the presence of their respective representatives.

The matter was then adjourned to a further time and date to be fixed.

***

HIGHLIGHT

Sydney FC's gutsy 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory on Saturday night with just 10 men on the field.

It was a magnificent performance that gives their long-suffering fans new hope for the season and coach Frank Farina some job security, at least for a couple of weeks.

LOWLIGHT

Allessandro Del Piero's diving performances on Saturday night were the best since Matthew Mitcham's perfect 10 and gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This guy is a superstar player and almost as good an actor.

TIME TO MOVE ON

So the Kangaroos have beaten Ireland 50-nil at the rugby league World Cup. These lead-up games are an absolute waste of time.

Care factor zero. Bring on the finals.

CHERRY ON TOP

In rugby league, and all sport for that matter, you have good players, great players and champions.

Manly halfback Daly Cherry Evans has improved so much he is hovering between a great player and a champion.

FINALLY

Stop the presses. Wallabies win a Test match.