Turf Club moves on Fannie Bay track crossing

The track crossing close to where jockey Simone Montgomerie lost her life last August will be relocated, the Turf Club has decided

Simone Montgomerie, before the start of her first race - Action on the field from the 201

THE track crossing at Fannie Bay where Darwin jockey Simone Montgomerie tragically lost her life last August will be relocated.

The Darwin Turf Club announced the move in a short statement following its regular committee meeting last night.

The track crossing at the 155m mark in the finishing straight will be relocated to 70m past the winning post. The decision comes more than seven months after Darwin’s premier jockey was thrown from her mount Riahgrand.

The decision comes after the DTC recently conducted an extensive review of all aspects of its track regulations in consultation with the Northern Territory Stewards.

“The review included the locations of the track crossings that had been used for pedestrian access during the carnival over the past seven years,” DTC chairman Brett Dixon said in the statement. “The Darwin Turf Club’s existing procedures and management plan remain in place and will continue to be applied at this new crossing.”

“These existing procedures and the management plan ensure pedestrian traffic is well supervised and staff have adequate time and resources prior to each race to perform remedial works to maintain the continuity of the surface,” the statement added.

Frustration has been growing among race goers over the lack of progress in the inquiry into the jockey’s death.

“The Northern Territory Chairman of Stewards was unable to make a definitive finding on the cause of the incident or if there were any contributing factors,” Mr Dixon added.

“The matter additionally is the subject of investigation by the NT Coroner and NT Worksafe.

“The Darwin Turf Club has made the decision to move the crossing while those investigations progress in an effort to demonstrate to the Industry and the public its ongoing commitment to safety.”

Montgomerie had just been crowned Darwin’s premier jockey, having ridden 27 winners through 2012 and 2013.

She was in race six, the Lightning Plate (1000m), the shortest and most blistering ride in the annual Darwin racing calendar.